A Jet Ski and its rider stranded on a sandbar, sparked an emergency rescue near Matakana Island.

Tauranga Coastguard's amphibious vessel ‘SeaLegs' was deployed around 7pm to assist a jet-ski and its rider from Hunters Creek.

Sergeant Craig Madden of the Police Search & Rescue says a 33-year-old man from Mount Maunganui called police shortly before 7pm, informing them he had hit a sandbar and was stranded near Matakana Island.

'Subsequent enquires revealed the man was at the very northern tip of Hunters Creek.

'The Jet-ski was not fitted with navigational lights and he had no other lighting source as the rider not expecting be to out at night.”

Craig says the rider was not experienced and had no navigational aids and was not sure where he was when he contacted police.

'It goes to show how quickly a simple trip can turn to custard. Whenever you are out in a water vessel make sure you have two forms of communication, tell someone your trip intentions and if unexperienced attend a Day Skippers course at the very least.”