The discovery of an inflatable dinghy adrift in the Bay of Islands with its outboard motor running, but no one on board, had searchers fearing the worst for its owner.
Russell police Senior Constable Mike Gorrie was notified of the ghostly dinghy about 9.30am on Wednesday but with the initial report based on second-hand information he had little to go on.
Together with Coastguard Bay of Islands he began a search of the shoreline and water around Pomare Bay, just south of Russell.
They had serious concerns for the boat’s owner given the poor weather conditions at the time.
They eventually found the boatie who had spotted and retrieved the 3-4m unoccupied dinghy, then located its owner, a 34-year-old man living aboard another yacht.