Police say two Hokitika recreational fishermen whose boat overturned twice in heavy surf off the mouth of the Grey River at lunchtime yesterday put other people's lives at risk.
The pair, aged 64 and 52, were thrown in the water when the boat was swamped by a wave. They managedto right it and were next seen paddling their stricken boat, bailing furiously, when another big wave bore down on them and one of the men leapt off.
The hapless boat, with one on board, rode out the wave but then drifted aimlessly north until it was well off North Beach, where it was again flipped by a rogue wave, throwing the second man back in the water.
They were in the water for about 40 minutes, held afloat by bodyboarders who had set off from Cobden beach until the Coastguard plucked them from the cold sea. The older man was semi-hypothermic and had cuts to his leg, and the other was cold and suffered a sore shoulder. Neither required hospital treatment.
West Coast police search and rescue co-ordinator constable Mike Tinnelly said the fact they had even ventured across the bar in a pleasure boat was frustrating, even though they were wearing lifejackets.
"It was complete stupidity. I spoke with someone from the Coastguard, who told me they wouldn't have crossed the bar to save anyone because it was so rough yesterday.
"They were a pair of clowns and they put the lives of their rescuers at risk, as well as the two bodyboarders who helped keep them afloat until the surf rescue boat arrived."
The men were well equipped with lifejackets and a marine radio, but were in the wrong place, Mr Tinnelly said.
While police were angry at the close call, they were thrilled with the response from the public, who watched from land as the drama unfolded. Several people phoned the police and the Coastguard, and provided the rescuers with valuable information. Others helped by providing binoculars to the police, while someone also pulled the upturned boat to shore and secured it.
"This was a community response that helped keep these men alive and recovered their boat and property," Mr Tinnelly said.
Eyewitness Stephen Sand, a Christchurch visitor who was photographing his son surfing at the time, said the boaties were "very, very lucky".
"I was worried that help was not going to get to the men in time; and we weren't sure whether they were even wearing lifejackets. Luckily they were, and luckily the bodyboarders went out to help."
