early yesterday.

And during the frightening ordeal Mr. Darren Hayward and Mr. Kenneth Simmons were tossed about in six feet high waves in their 14-foot, red, open launch Jamaica Vice .

Boats and helicopters of the US Navy, Marine Police and Harbour Radio took part in a search to find the men but they were finally spotted by a passing yacht.

Mr. Hayward, 20, and Mr. Simmons, 23, of Club Road, close to Devil's Hole, went out on the fishing trip at noon on Saturday.

Pest control worker, Mr. Hayward said: "We have been fishing together a couple of times. We took the boat out off South Shore outside Castle Harbour.

We had stopped and started the engine a couple of times without any problems.

"We could see the rain coming so we packed up but then we could not get the engine started.'' Mr. Simmons, a construction worker, said: "We had enough food and water but I could not eat anything because I was so nervous.

"The water was really rough. We had swells about six feet high when the storm hit us. It went right over us.

"It was frightening -- there was no way we could get any sleep at all out there. We were just trying to make sure we could get the attention of anyone passing by.

"Of course we were still trying to get the engine going but we had no luck at all.

"Darren has been out with a professional fisherman a couple of times but neither of us had any experience of anything like this before.'' The pair actually spotted the US Naval rescue boat that later towed them to safety but Mr. Simmons said: "It was looking too close to the shore.'' By this stage the men's parents had alerted Harbour Radio that they had not returned from their fishing trip.

Mr. Simmons said: "Eventually around 8 a.m. yesterday we saw a yacht. It sailed close to us and asked us the name of the boat so we presumed there was a search going on.

"A helicopter came over and stayed above us until the rescue boat came over and towed us into Castle Harbour and back to Devil's Hole.'' Yesterday the pair were considering how to repair the boat but, first of all, they were cutting up the fish they had caught during the trip.

Mr. Simmons said: "We have to do this before anything. We are very tired. I am just looking forward to getting some sleep.'' BACK SAFELY -- Mr. Kenneth Simmons and Mr. Darren Hayward are delighted to be back on dry land after a nightmare fishing trip.