Exhausted and shaken paddleboarders who narrowly avoided tragedy after drifting into open waters have praised their saviours, who have faced a busy Christmas rescuing six people.
The duo from the same family had launched from Portarlington caravan park jetty, west of Geelong in Victoria, about 3pm on Christmas Day when conditions quickly deteriorated and they drifted into the bay.
Rescue crews sprung to action after another family member raised the alarm when the pair failed to return after 5pm.
Local police, aerial units, lifesavers and a coastguard team scoured the waters before a rescue helicopter spotted the pair laying on their paddleboards and waving for help.
They were not wearing lifejackets and had been swept more than 10km before being pulled from the water at Wyndham Harbour.
The family expressed their thanks and commended the efforts of those involved in their rescue.
"We are so grateful for the outcome but still trying to come to terms with how quickly a beautiful, carefree afternoon turned into an almost tragedy," they said in a statement.
"We are exhausted, very shaken and feel so lucky we were able to stay together."
In another incident, a mother and her two teenage daughters were winched to safety by a rescue helicopter after encountering difficulty while kayaking.
They were trying to retrieve a kayak adrift near the Corinella jetty, southeast of Melbourne, when the current and strong winds swept them from shore. The women had lifejackets on and did not suffer any injuries.
"Kayaking requires constant awareness and good decision-making. Conditions can change quickly," Life Saving Victoria said.
In a third Christmas rescue, a 41-year-old man missing for about two hours was spotted by searchers on Lake King in Paynesville, east Gippsland, just before 3pm.
He was seen struggling before his kayak rolled, then picked up by the coastguard and returned unharmed to shore.
