THE SIGHT of an empty vessel out at sea is enough to send chills down any person's spine - for Yeppoon Coast Guard, it proved just another day at the office.

Fears for a missing outrigger grew quickly last Sunday morning after the group he was with noticed the empty, overturned watercraft.

The large group had been returning on a paddle back from Emu Park to Yeppoon.

Concerned for his welfare, his worried friends quickly reported the disappearance to Yeppoon Coast Guard - prompting a rapid response and unnerving wait.

A collective sigh of relief was likely heard as Yeppoon Rescue One, captained by Jim Warren, located the man waving his paddle about 500m south-east of Iron Pot.

It was then the mystery of his disappearance was solved - a large wave was responsible for knocking the man out of his watercraft.

Slightly shaken and cold, the man was taken aboard following the 40-minute ordeal and transferred to a double outrigger canoe before returning to shore.

However, the heart-stopping incident was fortunately only one in a few which kept the rescue service on its toes throughout the past week.

Last Wednesday, engine failure saw two people on board a 12m yacht returning from Great Keppel Island require assistance to enter Rosslyn Bay Harbour.

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Experienced skipper Barry Semple made for a quick departure around 9.30am, though challenging conditions did not make for an easy operation.

The crew, however, proved too skilled for the unfavourable task - eventually returning the yacht back to dock after 90 minutes.

While strong winds and rough seas across the week made for infrequent call-outs at the weekend, dramatic scenes proved a common theme.

Around 4am Sunday, a call for assistance prompted an urgent response to one of the Capricorn Coast's most popular destinations.

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Both Yeppoon Rescue One and two QAS paramedics were dispatched to Great Keppel Island after reports of a cardiac episode.

One male patient was later assessed by paramedics for a suspected heart condition. Fortunately, the man was conscious and in a stable condition upon arrival.

A rough journey back to the mainland resulted in a trip to the hospital.

The man is understood to have received further treatment and was discharged the same day.