Whitby RNLI have released video footage of Saturday's rescue.
The experienced rowers had headed out in the calm conditions of the harbour but upon exiting the pier ends had noticed a strong cross-shore wind picking up.
They decided to head back to harbour but upon attempting to turn around their boat overturned and the pair ended up in the water.
They signalled to another rower to dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard as they knew the conditions would make it difficult to conduct a buddy rescue.
Jonathan Marr who was helm on the inshore lifeboat said:
'When you hear that you are attending a shout to two people in the water, you know you need to get there quickly as every second counts. When we arrived we were relieved to see that both casualties were wearing lifejackets and had managed to climb onto the upturned hull of their rowing boat.'
With no way of controlling the vessel the rowing boat had drifted about a mile off shore when they were reached by the RNLI volunteers,
Jonathan added:
'We later learned they had undertaken capsize training which was invaluable in this incident as its very easy to panic when you end up in cold water unexpectedly.'
The pair were transferred to the inshore lifeboat and brought to the lifeboat station where they were checked over for hypothermia by waiting paramedics.
The RNLI's advice to anyone taking part in water-based sports is to
- Always wear a lifejacket
- Carry a means of calling for help
- Always check the conditions before heading out
- Undertake the relevant training so you know what to do in an emergency
Jonathan added:
'Even the most experienced of people can get caught out - everything can change in an instant. The one thing we want people to remember is FLOAT TO LIVE - lay on your back and try to relax, this can help reduce the chances of cold water shock setting in.
If you get into difficulty in the water, or see someone else in trouble, dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard.'
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