Rescued Fisherman, should have bee a Darwin award.

[Alan Wheeler]

I can't believe the stupidity. Two Fisherman, (no that's actually unfair to real Fisherman)...Two blokes Fishing went to set their net off a river mouth, off the East coast of the North Island near Napier. The weather here is just mad at the moment. These idiots (and that is being unfair to other Idiots out there) These two numbnuts went out in 3metre seas in a 2m fibreglass Dinghy. They got tipped out and managed to get back into the Dinghy twice over the time of their ordeal. They had no EPIRB, no Flares, no VHF, which are understandable I suppose, but hang about...they had no outboard, nor any proper paddles/oars, they had no lifejackets even. They eventually drifted 26Km (13Nm) out to sea over a period of some 24hrs where eventually they were lucky enough to be seen by a passing freighter.
I can not believe they survived. I suggest they go buy a Lotto ticket.

[exfishnz]

Not to sound like a bad type of bloke, but am asking if they were "coconuts"?

[Ramona]

Originally Posted by Alan Wheeler

I can't believe the stupidity. Two Fisherman, (no that's actually unfair to real Fisherman)...Two blokes Fishing went to set their net off a river mouth,

Amateur or Professional fishermen?

[Alan Wheeler]

To be PC, not a European Kiwi. I think they were Cuzybros but not sure. Uncle and hi Nephew

[MidLandOne]

Yes, they were from Kirabati. Maybe they thought you could get away with paddling dinghies like canoes.

Some have lasted weeks in canoes in home waters after getting themselves adrift out at sea, but a bit warmer up there I imagine .

[Alan Wheeler]

The water temp was only 8degC when I went around the top yesterday. Not something you would want to stay in for two long. I have to hand it to them, they were survivors. I am sure others would not have lasted so long.

[Pelagic]

Yeah but...did they catch any Fish??

[exfishnz]

Originally Posted by Ramona

Amateur or Professional fishermen?

I'm thinking they were not pro's (i.e. 2m dinghie & pro's have to carry safety equipment by maritime law).

Edit:

Re Alan Wheeler: I think they were Cuzybros but not sure

Not surprised. Have a little bit of Cuzybro blood myself (although I don't look it) - but try not to let that on too much

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by Alan Wheeler

Ibut hang about...they had no outboard, nor any proper paddles/oars

Sandy "Outboard? Beer? Outboard? Beer? Outboard? Beer?"
Mike "Beer, beer, beer..."

[Alan Wheeler]

Yeah but...did they catch any Fish??

They were only setting the net. Another big southerly is due and they are probably intending on picking the net up again when the blow arrives :-)

Cuzybro blood myself (although I don't look it) - but try not to let that on too much

That's OK, we picked that up after your first post ;-) :-)

[TexSail]

The captain of a big charter fishing boat told me that he was 50 miles off Galveston in heavy seas and thick fog when a 16 foot flat bottom boat (no compass even) pulled up with three drunks aboard wanting to know which way to Galveston. They took them aboard and towed their boat in for them.

[seafox]

Reading in the Dom this morning. Apparently they were not even swimmers!
Amazing.

[David M]

Stupidity does make for good reading though.

[Alan Wheeler]

Reminds me of that Aircraft/control tower tape of the Pilot saying they are flying at 12000ft on approach to the airport and the just past a guy on a deck chair.
This one would be, "Maritime Radio, we are at the 12Mile limit and just passed two guys in a 6ft Dinghy heading in the general direction of Tahiti"

[MidLandOne]

While I don't condone their actions at all, just to keep a little perspective in this, as far as I understand it turns out that the two guys actually started out in a river to set their net. It being night time they did not appreciate the extent of the flood in the river and got caught up and swept into the river mouth and out to sea.

And for the USA forumites I can assure you, having been a frequent visitor to the US in the past, NZ rivers are little streams compared to yours. I grew up on the banks of one of NZ's largest and most navigable rivers (it also used to have the second highest flood volume ever recorded in NZ at one time, don't know if it still has though) and we used to paddle across it on anything that floated (and sometimes things that ended up not floating ). No NZ river is navigable by anything other than small boats.

The two guys remind me of what we used to do as kids, only difference was we managed to stay in the river . As I say, I do not condone their actions now I am grown up (well I pretend to be ) but is not as if they set off to sea so poorly equipped but were paddling within the entrance of a little river (the Tukituki as I understand it). Some might not understand, but I know that Huck Finn would .

Was very surprised when I also saw that one claimed he could not swim - as a few forumites will know I have a very authorative source on this subject and she is also surprised as is very unusual (perhaps he meant across the language barrier that he couldn't swim far enough??? but dunno).

John