The RNLI said its William Blannin lifeboat arrived at the scene near Bow Fiddle rock and found two girls who had managed to stay on their paddleboard.
A second pair were spotted a few minutes later. They had been in the water for more than 20 minutes with only wetsuits on.
They were checked by the Scottish Ambulance Service and given the all clear to be sent home.
The incident came as Storm Kathleen brought disruption to weekend travel with winds of up to 90mph battering parts of Scotland.
Sepa had issued issued flood warnings for coastal areas and a Met Office yellow warning was in force across the west of Scotland.
The strongest gusts were recorded in the Cairngorms, while wind speeds in coastal areas reached up to 70mph.
The RNLI urged people to always check the weather forecast carefully before venturing out on the water.
Anne Scott, lifeboat operations manager, said: “Avoid offshore winds as you can easily be blown out to sea very quickly and offshore winds will tire you quickly when trying to return to shore.
“Always wear a personal flotation device and suitable clothing for the conditions and always carry a means of calling for help.”