Police are urging people to be prepared before heading out onto the water this summer following an early morning water rescue in the Coromandel.

A man and a woman in their mid-30s were air lifted from an isolated bay near The Pinnacles on top of the Coromandel Peninsula just after 3.30am.

People are being warned to check weather conditions and make sure their have some form of communications before heading out onto the water.

The pair had taken a 10ft aluminium dinghy out fishing between 7pm and 8pm from Fletchers Bay.

Police say shortly after this, the eight horse power motor cut out and the couple drifted in a moderate sea with a strong north westerly winds and current for nearly 2kms before being able to row to shore.

'Although the pair had lifejackets on board they were poorly equipped to spend a night out in the open and with overnight rain quickly became cold,” says Senior Sergeant Dave Litton.

He says both these people are extremely lucky not to be either hospitalised or worse a victim of drowning.

'It's an example of how things can quickly go wrong without warning and demonstrates the need to make sure you have the capable equipment for the conditions, especially if taking to the water.”

Dave says due to their isolated location and without any sort of communication, they have been stuck in this bay until friends have raised the alarm with a Doc Ranger from the Fletcher Bay Campground just prior to midnight.

'The Westpac Rescue Helicopter was subsequently launched and located the pair just after 3.30am in a cold but uninjured state.

'They were flown back to Fletchers Bay where they were treated and repatriated with friends and family.” He says this is a reminder to anyone taking to the water to make sure you're prepared for any eventuality.

'Making sure your vessel is up to the task and you have the right equipment to keep you afloat and raise the alarm if needed are the minimums for any boat user.

'Deciding to go fishing with only an hour daylight left in a small 10 foot vessel with a small motor is asking for trouble in an open sea.”

Police ask people to think twice before taking to the water in unsafe conditions.

'It's all about making sensible decisions to prevent people being put at risk before taking to the water.”