Sheringham lifeboat launched following a report that a dinghy was in difficulty off the coast.
A warden at Cley Marshes nature reserve raised the alert around 4.45pm after it disappeared from view.
Crew members located the inflatable with a man, woman and teenage boy on board.
Lifeboat operations manager Brian Farrow said: 'When we got there they were fishing from the dinghy with the engine switched off.
'There was quite a swell, but we were able to escort them back to shore safely.'
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