A group of five rowers were rescued from the Boulder Bank on Tuesday evening after a sudden change in weather.
Nelson Harbourmaster Stuart Whitehouse says a sudden change in weather, with strong SE winds, forced the group off the water around 7pm.
He says they took shelter behind one of the batches on the Boulder Bank.
"They were rowing with a support boat but because of where they were, they took shelter on the Boulder Bank."
He says the wind picked up quickly to more than 30 knots an hour.
"Temperatures just plummeted and the rowers are normally just in light gear because of the exercise."
Stuart says the group did a lot of things right including carrying water proof communication and emergency blankets.
The group of five were brought back to land by Stuart and his team by 7.30pm.
"They hadn’t been submerged, they were certainly getting cold, four of them were particularly cold."
A police spokesperson says the group were assessed by ambulance at the boat ramp.
Stuart then headed back out to secure the boats.
"We pulled the row boat up above the hightide mark and secured the motor boat.
"It would’ve been a long cold night if they didn't have communication, but they had done the right thing and someone knew what their plans were."
