The first of the boats and yachts washed ashore at Callala earlier this week have been successfully recovered during a major operation on the shores of Jervis Bay this afternoon ( fri ) .

Around a dozen vessels were driven onto rocks and the beach, in 100 KPH winds on Tuesday night.

  A crane and an excavator were used on the low tide yesterday afternoon to lift a single hulled yacht and a catamaran ashore.

Some of the other boats, which are repairable, will be taken ashore or lifted into the water next week.

Insurance assessor Michael Lieberman  from I.M.S.Loss Adjusters says the operation was easier than he first thought it might be , although there were a couple of anxious moments.

 Mr Lieberman has thanked locals for their help and SES volunteers who assisted with crowd control.

Peter Adams who owns the large Sea Wind Catamaran which was recovered, says locals have weighed in with plenty of physical and emotional assistance.

Mr Adams vessel is being trucked to a boat building yard at South Nowra for repairs, and he hopes to be back on the water by summer.