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Brian Metcalfe likened the experience to being shot at during the Vietnam War. “It was the worst night of my life,” he said.

His ordeal began on Monday afternoon when he noticed a dilapidated boat moored near his vessel was loose.

The war veteran was in a rush to get to the chemist to refill his cancer-related medication but said: “It’s pretty much an unwritten law that if you see a boat with its sails flagging and you can fix it, you go on board ... it would have ended up on the rocks”.

Mr Metcalf reattached the boat and returned to his vessel.

Unfortunately his medication causes forgetfulness, and he went below deck without securing his own dinghy.

“It was heading north, so I jumped into my wetsuit, flippers and mask and took off after it,” he said. “But the current was too strong.”

Mr Metcalfe used the current to swim 50 metres to the neighbouring vessel and used its back rudder to pull himself out of the water.

“It was freezing cold and the wind was blowing pretty hard. My boat was close by but ... I knew there was no way I could swim,” he said.

“That was when I realised I could die from exposure and medication withdrawal.”

Mr Metcalf broke open the boat’s hatch and found a number of marine distress flares, which he says are “very, very powerful”.

It was 6.52pm when he put the first flare up.

“Anyone living in Batemans Bay looking out has to have seen it,” he said. “Half an hour later I let another one go and then another one half an hour after that.”

Despite the flares, no-one contacted the authorities and Mr Metcalfe spent an agonising night on the water. A number of times he thought about braving the cold and dark, and swimming to his boat.

“About 8am I thought the wind had dropped down and I would swim to my boat with a buoy wrapped around me,” he said.

“Fortunately I had had the temerity to fold my ladder down into the water, which enabled me to get onboard and phone for help.”

It took Marine Rescue workers just 15 minutes to reach Mr Metcalfe, who was near collapse.

“I always make the point of saying how thankful I am for those volunteers and the work they do,” Mr Metcalf said.

“I’m not a wealthy man but I’ve told them I will make two donations of $300 over two months for their assistance.”

Mr Metcalf said someone must have seen his distress flares on Monday night.

“Next time, if you see something please pick up the phone,” he said.