alive. nbc's lee cowan has more. >> reporter: rarely has a pair of sea legs been so happy to set foot on dry land. three teenage castaways, adrift for almost two months. managed to walk off the fishing boat that found them with just enough energy for a smile. >> are you glad to be alive? >> yes. >> reporter: for 50 days they've been a speck in the south pacific, a floating needle in a haystack of blue that new zealand's air force was unable to find. their families even held a memorial, fearing the ocean had claimed the trio for good. now, on that string of tiny islands in tokelau that they call home, they're saying the ocean gave back a miracle. >> oh, we're so happy. everyone is so happy. all of tokelau people are so happy that, oh, what a story. >> reporter: the three had set off back in october to find love, it's rumored. a girl on a neighboring island.