Emergency services were called to the incident near the Buccleuch Street Bridge in Dumfries shortly before 8pm.
The man was assisted out of the water by fellow canoeists, who witnessed him get into trouble, and took a boat out to help bring him to safety.
A short time later emergency services were called to a second incident further north on the River Nith.
It followed reports of two people feared missing in the East Cluden area after a boat was spotted apparently abandoned.
HM Coastguard units from Annan and Kirkcudbright; Scottish Fire and Rescue Service crews from Annan, Dumfries and Newton Stewart; and Glencaple-based Nith Rescue, some of whom attended the earlier incident, took part in a large-scale riverbank search.
A Fire and Rescue Service spokesman stated that their specialist water rescue team was involved in the operation.
He said: “No-one was located and the incident was passed to police when our crews stood down around 12.45am.”
Dumfries and Galloway Police, who have recovered the boat, stated later they understood the men came to no harm but they were still keen to speak to them.
HM Coastguard senior coastal operations officer Stewart Bryden, who is based at Kirkcudbright, said: “Fortunately, in both incidents, those involved were unscathed, but I’d like to thank members of the public who raised the alarm. They did exactly the right thing and I’d like to commend them for doing so.”
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