Three boaties have escaped injury after their boat was "swamped" by a 2.5 to 3-metre wave on Thursday morning.
At about 6am, a 5.5-metre-long boat with three people onboard flipped in the water off Whangamatā.
Maritime officer and Coastguard tutor Barry King told Newshub the three occupants onboard were wearing life jackets, which he says "saved them".
King added the three people are "all safe and well".
The small vessel washed up adjacent to the Whangamatā surf club.
