Three men have been rescued after spending hours stranded on an offshore rock near Byron Bay when their kayak was swept away by rough seas.

The rescue unfolded on the same night a yacht later ran aground at Skennars Head, keeping emergency services busy along the Northern Rivers coastline.

Volunteer radio operators received reports shortly before 9pm on Tuesday of people in distress and lights visible near the Three Sisters, south of Byron Bay.

Marine Rescue Brunswick was tasked by NSW Police Marine Area Command and launched rescue vessel Brunswick 30 to investigate.

Marine Rescue Brunswick Unit Commander Glen Parker said the crew located the stranded men on Cocked Hat Rock using thermal imaging equipment and floodlights.

“We communicated with them through the hailer. They were relieved to see us but clearly distressed,” he said.

The men told rescuers they had paddled out to the rock but their kayak had been swept away by the swell, leaving them stranded.

The rescue team initially considered waiting until daylight to retrieve the men because of the dangerous rocky conditions.

Instead, the crew threw a grab bag containing jackets, water and muesli bars to the stranded men while conditions were assessed.

“The initial plan was to assess their condition and possibly wait until daylight to extract them because of the rocky nature of the surrounding waters,” he said.

As the night progressed, strong winds developed and the men began showing signs of hypothermia.

“The situation was becoming urgent,” Parker said.

After consulting with NSW Police Marine Area Command and Marine Rescue NSW management, volunteers decided an immediate rescue was necessary.

The crew carefully manoeuvred Brunswick 30 towards the rock before throwing a lifeline ashore.

One by one, the men entered the water and made their way from the rock to the rescue vessel.

“Our crew threw a lifeline to the rock and, one by one, the three men made their way through the water from the rock to the rescue vessel,” he said.

Once aboard, they were assessed by the crew and wrapped in space blankets.

“They were extremely cold but in good spirits and grateful for the assistance,” Parker said.

Deteriorating sea conditions slowed the journey back to shore, with Brunswick 30 arriving at Brunswick Heads Boat Harbour shortly after 4am.

NSW Ambulance paramedics were waiting to assess the men on arrival.

Main image: Marine Rescue Brunswick crew close in on the men stuck on the rock (Marine Rescue NSW)