However, he was anxious to get his dinghy out before it got too late so he could catch a feed for his family and others in the community. In his haste, he forgot to take his torch or his lifejacket. This would prove to be a very bad mistake.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was catching a few fish until I had around six or seven fish in my boat, I thought, I\u2019d catch another one,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Apiuta Apiuta, who was lost at sea for a week, is reunited with his mother, Moekari Apiata Piei in Auckland. Photo \/ RNZ, Matthew Theunissen<\/p>\n
It was after he\u2019d hauled in his ninth fish that the outboard motor started playing up and, eventually, went completely dead.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was getting darker, the sunset [had] already dropped.\u201d<\/p>\n
He drained the motor and replaced the fuel but it made no difference. He had two oars and tried to haul his way to shore, but the wind was too strong and he started drifting from the island.<\/p>\n
\u201cI could see that the men on the island were looking for me, I could see them with their lights. I didn\u2019t take a torch with me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Apiuta had around three litres of water, a pocket knife, a pair of long-nosed pliers, a bucket and the rest of his fishing gear.<\/p>\n
After his first chilly night, he could no longer see the island. He ate a little of one of the fish he had caught the previous day, then the weather turned.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe sea was rough \u2013 really rough \u2013 and the wind, very strong. Waves were breaking into the boat,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He spent lots of energy using the oars to ensure the boat didn\u2019t capsize. The storm lasted four days, he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe waves that hit me, [I] twice fell off the boat.\u201d<\/p>\n
Apiuta was knocked out of his dinghy twice. Photo \/ NZDF<\/p>\n
The rain was near constant, too, so at least he was able to collect drinking water in his bucket. But it was so cold.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was cold every day; day and night.\u201d<\/p>\n
He was only wearing shorts and a T-shirt.<\/p>\n
However, he said his survival instincts kicked in and he refused to be defeated by his situation. And for some of the time, he had company.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere was this one bird that flew on my boat and stayed with me the whole day. It\u2019s a bird that we call in our language t\u0101kapu [gannet]. That bird stayed with me the whole day until the next morning,\u201d he said. \u201cTo me it\u2019s like a good sign.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said he spoke to the bird.<\/p>\n
\u201cI said to go find his friends and fly me back to the island,\u201d he said with a laugh.<\/p>\n
Apiuta waves his oar. Photo \/ NZDF<\/p>\n
On the seventh day he heard the unmistakable sound of an aircraft overhead \u2013 an RNZAF P-8A Poseidon.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was so happy when I first saw it. I was very happy.\u201d<\/p>\n
The plane was blinking its lights so Apiuta could be sure he\u2019d been spotted.<\/p>\n
That evening he was picked up by a Taiwanese fishing vessel. The crew took him straight to the kitchen and fed him noodles, which he enjoyed very much.<\/p>\n
Apiuta was then able to make a phone call from the vessel to his anxious partner, who passed on the happy news to his mother and siblings in New Zealand.<\/p>\n
His sister, Tina, said she always believed Apiuta would make it, but getting the phone call confirming he was still alive was overwhelming.<\/p>\n
\u201cI ran to Mum\u2019s room \u2013 Mum was sleeping \u2013 and we started crying together. And then his son called at that exact time and had a conversation when mum and they both started crying on the phone together as well.\u201d<\/p>\n