Search finds drunk kayaker in undies

A drunk kayaker was found in his undies sheltering beneath his boat on the rocks of the Coromandel coast.

He was lucky he made it to shore after going paddling with no lifejacket, sparking a two-hour search on Thursday evening.

‘‘He was a lucky man with the cold. If he’d spent all night out there, hypothermia was a distinct possibility,’’ Whitianga Coastguard operations manager Graham Caddy said.

The 45-year-old Northland man spent the afternoon drinking and fishing with friends off Cooks Beach on the eastern coastline of the peninsula.

They all headed back to shore around 4.30pm, when for some reason the man decided to head back out for another paddle in his kayak.

‘‘There had been some alcohol consumed by the group, and in particular the one kayaker.

‘‘He was last seen paddling out into the bay about 4.30pm yesterday and the group were concerned about his welfare because he had been drinking.’’

Hoping their friend would return, the group waited two hours before ringing police.

Waikato police Senior Sergeant Phil Ruddell confirmed police were alerted at 6.30pm with concerns about a kayaker.

He was not wearing a lifejacket and had been drinking, he said.

Police contacted Whitianga Coastguard, which launched two boats – NZCT Rescue and Endeavour – to search the bay.

‘‘We conducted a search of the inner side of the western area of Mercury Bay.

‘‘The problem was we had no idea where he was, or where he was intending to go. Really, it was gut instinct and luckily we picked him up.’’

After a couple hours of searching, the Endeavour crew spotted the man ‘‘intoxicated and standing on the rocks’’ at Mussel Point – about 1.5 nautical miles from Cooks Beach, heading towards Cathedral Cove.

He had fallen out of his kayak and somehow managed to drag himself on to the rocks with his boat, where he stood hunkering beneath it.

Wet, the man had stripped off his outer clothing, draping his pants over the boat.

‘‘The crew picked up something reflecting – at first they thought it was a possum’s reflection in the eyes – but they went to have a closer look and saw the upturned kayak.

‘‘He showed some survival skills – he wasn’t completely irrational.’’

Caddy said the man was fairly laidback. He wasn’t panicking and was content to stay where he was, he said.

‘‘But he was relieved to be taken off the rock.

‘‘With the cold, he’d sobered up very quickly.’’

Conditions on Thursday were fairly calm – the cold was the main enemy, Caddy said. Searching at night can also be difficult.

‘‘Alcohol and boating do not mix – and if you go with a group, stay with a group.

‘‘Individual kayaking is a risky business.’’

He thanked all the volunteers who helped in the search.