Kayaker lucky to be rescued from rough seas

Photo / Thinkstock

A kayaker who was been rescued when she got into trouble in strong winds off the southern Wairarapa coast knows how lucky she was to have been pulled from the sea when strong winds and high seas stopped her return to shore.

The woman's partner, 4-year-old daughter and grandmother were watching her from Ocean Beach in Palliser Bay and called emergency services when they saw her in trouble yesterday.

A rescue team on the Wellington police launch Lady Elizabeth IV and the Westpac rescue helicopter were able to get to the scene - but not before the woman battled high seas and strong wind gusts for a couple of hours.

She had gone out to check a crayfish pot and suddenly realised the winds were too strong for her to be able to return to the shore.

"I thought 'I hope somebody calls for help'."

The woman, who did not want to be named, said she went out at 10.30am and was rescued at 12.50pm.

Aside from sore arms and a blister on her thumb, the woman escaped any injury.
"It could have been worse."

Conditions were calm on shore, so the rough conditions caught her by surprise, she said. Next time she said she would check the forecast before going out.

"That wind is crazy."

The rescuers were "really, really good - they really know their job".

Officers on the Lady Elizabeth were also able to rescue her kayak, but she did not get a chance to see if any crayfish were in the pot.

"I'm not going to be getting it though - someone else can."

Sergeant Andy Cox, who was on the police launch said winds were about 40 - 50 knots, or between 74km/h and 92km/h.

"She just didn't have the strength to paddle into it."

The kayaker was wearing a bright yellow lifejacket at the time.

"The young lady said she had her initial panic and then came up with a plan that took the panic away and that was to just keep paddling that took the kayak into the waves and when a wave came up she paddled a bit harder.

"And that probably is what saved her life."