A pair of keen fishermen ended up getting rescued from within the mangroves after they ran into trouble in the waters off Kaingaroa yesterday afternoon.
Thankfully, the father and son contacted emergency services the minute they realised their engine wouldn't start.
Northland Police Search and Rescue lead, Detective Sergeant Paul Overton, says Police were made aware of a boat with two people on board having engine trouble off Kaingaroa just before 2pm.
"The skipper reported the boat was safely tied up in mangroves, about 7kms from the Arawhata Wharf.
"Unfortunately due to the shallow water, Coastguard were unable to attend and the skipper would have had to wait there until the tide turned, which was at least another three hours."
Detective Sergeant Overton says one of the local Police officers, along with a recent graduate, were quick to offer a helping hand.
"The officer has made the decision to take his own boat out to assist, and has towed the vessel back to Arawhata Wharf.
"The pair were extremely grateful, and it really was an act of kindness that assisted in the safe return of this family back to land.
"Our staff not only work in this community, but live here too - so it's really great to see everyone helping one another in their time of need."
He says the rescue also serves as a timely reminder to boaties as the warmer weather approaches to make sure they're prepared when heading out on the water.
"Preparation is key, and know your limits.
"This is a reminder to please always take two forms of communication with you, ensure your batteries are charged, be ready for an unexpected situation and have the ability to navigate if necessary, even if it's just data on your phone."
If you get into trouble, please call 111 as soon as possible, as this will enable an emergency response at the earliest opportunity.
