The Coastguard rescued a kayaker who was caught in heavy swells in Hawkes Bay.
Video / Hawkes Bay Coastguard
A kayaker was fortunate to come away uninjured after needing to be rescued from heavy swells off the coast of Napier.
On Wednesday, Coastguard Hawke's Bay received a call from a concerned onlooker who saw a kayaker in difficult conditions about 100m off Marine Parade.
The kayaker was barely makingany progress in the rough weather, the caller said.
Coastguard Hawke's Bay responded and within 20 minutes, five volunteers had arrived on the scene. The kayaker, who had launched from the beach, was now about 120-140m offshore.
Footage of the incident shows the kayaker struggling in windy conditions as a coastguard boat is then seen coming to the person's assistance.
Coastguard Hawke's Bay skipper Henry van Tuel said conditions on the water were starting to deteriorate, with a 1.5m swell building and low visibility.
Within half an hour of the team pulling the kayaker on board, the swell had increased to nearly 2m.
"We were able to respond very quickly to assist the kayak, with our unit familiar with these types of conditions off Marine Parade."
