A man jumped into the water off Cape Saunders yesterday to save his partner who had been washed off the rocks by a wave.
He rescued her and the pair pulled themselves up by seaweed and on to the rocks to safety, Senior Constable Lox Kellas said.
"It's a good result. No lives lost."
The woman, an 18-year-old meat worker, was taken by Otago Rescue Helicopter to Dunedin Hospital with facial, arm and back lacerations, he said.
The pair were part of a group of six fishing off the south side of the rocks below the Cape Saunders lighthouse when the incident happened about 3pm.
"The wave collected her, swept her in, so her partner waited for the wave to abate and then leapt in and grabbed her."
It was the first time the pair had visited the site but others in the party had previously fished in the area.
They were not wearing life-jackets.
People fishing in the area needed to be aware of the weather forecast and sea conditions and they should also wear a life-jacket and carry a throw rope, Snr Const Kellas said.
Portobello Volunteer Fire Brigade's first response unit, St John, water rescue squad and the coastguard were all called to the incident.
