Empty kayak spurs search

A drunken late-night kayaking trip sparked a frantic search after a water-logged kayak was found washed up on Titahi Bay beach.

A 25-year-old man in jeans and a hoodie and a 16-year-old girl in a dress and a hoodie launched their kayak from Titahi Bay about 1.30am on Saturday, without lifejackets or a torch.

Police said the man was heavily intoxicated.

A friend of the pair raised the alarm when they failed to return two hours later and the Maritime Police launch , Westpac rescue helicopter, Mana Coastguard and Porirua police started looking for them.

Sergeant Dave Houston, of maritime police, said there was concern for their safety after the kayak was found on the beach at 4.16am.

However, the pair were found at home asleep. When police woke the man he was still heavily drunk.

"They've capsized, swam to shore, didn't tell anyone and went back to bed ... They had no safety equipment and obviously they've wasted a lot of people's time."

Westpac rescue helicopter spokesman Dave Greenberg said the callout would cost police nearly $2000. "We're all there to save lives and it is frustrating to be put up there in the air looking for people who are safe in bed."

Rescue boats and police were called to Eastbourne and the rescue helicopter was put on standby yesterday after a diver was reported to be in trouble.

The man surfaced, blew his emergency whistle and raised his arm in the air before going under water. The diver later told police he had been signalling to his wife he was coming back to shore.