Ocean Signal PLB1 Rescue During Remote Hiking Emergency

What happened?

Over the Easter break, my partner and I set out on a six-day hike along New Zealand’s rugged west coast. The first two days were beautiful, with clear skies and great conditions. Then the rain began, and it didn’t stop for three days.

By the third day, what would normally have been small stream crossings became increasingly dangerous as river levels rose. After 10 hours of hiking, we were cold, wet, and exhausted. We reached the final river crossing before the backcountry hut we planned to stay in, but it looked unsafe. Desperate for shelter, we attempted to cross and were immediately swept off our feet. Fortunately, we managed to scramble back to safety.

With darkness approaching, we climbed out of the river gorge and set up an emergency camp, hoping the river would drop overnight. Once inside the tent, we realized our packs had taken on water and our sleeping bags were soaked, making for a long, cold night.

By morning, the rain was still falling and river levels were even higher. We knew we couldn’t continue and made the decision to activate our Ocean Signal PLB1.
Five hours later, a rescue helicopter arrived and returned us to safety, wet, cold, and shaken but unharmed.

Without the PLB, we would have faced at least another 24 hours in worsening conditions with soaked gear and a serious risk of hypothermia. It was a clear reminder not to underestimate weather and river conditions, and how critical it is to carry a reliable means of calling for help.

Words of wisdom

Trust your gut on river crossings – better to be safe than sorry.

Thank you note to the Ocean Signal team

A huge thank you to the OceanSignal team for your effective and easy to use PLBs. Having a beacon with us gives us peace of mind on hikes that go well, and saved our life on a recent hike that didn’t go so well.