Marine Rescue at Port Stephens has been called to a vessel in distress at Shoal Bay.
It's understood the skipper of a 35 foot yacht called for help at about 4.00am on Friday when the vessel slipped it's mooring in strong winds.
The man is the only person on board and had apparently spent the night on his yacht.
A police patrol is keeping an eye on the vessel from shore as a Marine Rescue boat heads to the scene.
