A BUNDABERG man has been reunited with his son after 13 years in the most unlikely way - he rescued him from drowning.

The Mirror reports Phil Baker was walking on the beach while waiting to meet his son, Benji who had flown into Australia from the UK where he has lived for most of his life, when he saw a kayaker in trouble.

He dove into the ocean and carried the half-conscious kayaker to shore.

"I looked at his face, and something occurred to me. Those brown eyes were very familiar," Mr Baker told the Mirror.

Kathryn Wuisman

A photo of Phil Baker, his wife Lyn, Benji Blake and Kathryn Wuisman uploaded on Kathryn Wuisman's blog.

While Mr Baker had only seen a few photos of Benji over the years he said he recognised at once, the kayaker was his son.

"In an instant I knew. That 'stranger' was my boy.

"I asked the instructor, 'What's his name?' He replied, 'Benji'...I checked his breathing and pulse and said, 'It's me, your dad. You're going to be OK," Mr Baker said.

Mr Baker's son Benji told the Mirror what it was like to find his rescuer was his long lost dad.

"All I remember is waking up on the beach and seeing my dad there. And I recognised his face straight away."