Queenstown’s Harbourmaster is urging people to treat Lake Wakatipu with respect, after two men were caught in the same sudden change of weather that claimed the lives of two kayakers on Lake Tekapo last Friday.

Marty Black said the men were reported by the Skipper of the Earnslaw after he noticed their 10-foot alloy dinghy crossing the lake from Walter Peak about 3.30pm on Friday, in rapidly deteriorating conditions.

Deputy Harbourmaster Dave Black immediately went to Wilsons Bay looking for the pair, and eventually located them at Sunshine Bay, with their boat full of water and their motor swamped.

While they were wearing lifejackets, they had no flares or other safety equipment on board and appeared to have been oblivious to the approaching storm.

He helped them refloat their dinghy but then had to persuade them to abandon their plans to use it to cross back to Walter Peak so they could retrieve their vehicle.

Marty Black said that the lake went from flat calm to storm conditions in eight minutes on Friday afternoon.

“Anyone who’s planning to take a boat out on Lake Wakatipu really needs to be prepared for changeable conditions, particularly at this time of year.” The change in weather was well signalled on the meteorological website MetVue, and the approaching storm was also visible down the lake.

While he was pleased the men had been wearing lifejackets, that would not have saved them from hypothermia. The lack of other safety equipment, such as flares and a radio, was a concern.

“Anyone going boating needs to treat our lakes with respect. They look very inviting when the sun’s shining, but conditions change so quickly you really need to be prepared for the worst all the time.”