A Nanoose man and his son were looking out to sea with binoculars from the deck of their home at just the right time Monday night — spotting a boat as it listed to one side and then capsized.
Father and son ran to their own boat and set out to help, reaching the floundering vessel in about 10 minutes.
The coast guard was called, but the man, who did not want his name revealed, knew the nearest coast guard facility was in French Creek and the response could take half an hour.
Choppy waters made it tricky for them to get close to the capsized craft, where a woman was on the hull and a man was in the water.
Both were wearing life jackets.
The father and son pulled the boaters aboard before calling 911 so that paramedics could meet them onshore at Schooner Cove.
The man said it was lucky they got to the people when they did because they were quite listless and might not have lasted long.
The Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Victoria said the capsized boat was later found aground nearby in the Yeo Island Group.
The centre said the rescued man had managed to alert Victoria Marine Communication and Traffic Services about the capsizing.
