July 11 2014 3 missing kayakers rescued from Green Bay Wisconsin Co-operation Royal Canadian Air Force Rescue Co-Ordination Center Trenton And U.S, Coast Guard Rescue Co-Ordination Center Cleveland Ephraim Fire and Rescue, Sheriffs Departments in Marinette and Oconto counties in Wisconsin and Delta and Schoolcraft counties in Michigan, They had left Nicolet Bay at Peninsula State Park at about 2:45 p.m. Thursday and were expected to return by 4 p.m. When they failed to appear, the kayak rental company called the Sheriffs Department about 6:30 p.m., Chief Deputy Gary Behling said Thursday. Very pleased and very fortunate that they were found alive, Sheriff Terry Vogel said. A strong wind current is to blame for the incident. Basically they went out in these kayaks, (and when) they got out there the wind was too strong, Farley said. The three kayakers told interviewers they first headed to Horseshoe Island, arriving 30-35 minutes later, Behling said. After a short break they started back towards Peninsula State Park. Approximately halfway back the wind picked up. The waves started to get bigger and the boys were struggling and having difficulty steering, Behling said. The kayakers could see the searchers looking for them throughout the night, Farley said. Rescuers were a little south of where Alter and the boys were. Had the group had a cellphone or some kind of light with them, they could have been found sooner, Farley said. He advises everyone who rents a kayak to take along some sort of light, flare or cellphone in a waterproof case for emergencies. Thank goodness mom ... had the foresight to tie the two kayaks together, he said. She tied the vessels to one another when they began to drift apart. The Coast Guard located the kayakers at about 6:05 a.m., eight to 10 miles northeast of Chambers Island, First Class Petty Officer Tyler Goss said. That is roughly due west of the tip of the Door County peninsula. A Royal Canadian Air Force Hercules C-130 search plane from Trenton, Ontario, spotted them between Whaleback Shoal and Cedar River, Goss said. The Coast Guard hoisted them out of the water using a Dolphin rescue helicopter from Traverse City, Mich. The kayaks also are being recovered. When we were notified at 6:17 this morning … You should have heard the incident command, everyone was hooting and hollering in joy that they are still OK, Farley said. Authorities main concern was whether the people were in the kayaks. When we were told swimmer in the water (and) all parties accounted for, beautiful, he said. Staying with the kayaks helped the woman and boys make it through the night, Goss said. They were absolutely lucky to survive, he said. Water temps are still a little cold. Definitely hypothermic temperatures. The water temperature was around 68 degrees off Peninsula State Park, Farley said. Karl Willis, with the Coast Guard Ninth District Command Center in Cleveland, said the kayakers were lucky to survive because they had no way to let anyone know they were in trouble. A personal locator beacon would have immediately alerted us to their distress and directed our rescue crews to the scene within minutes, Willis said. Fortunately, the rental operator called 911 and we had the support of our Canadian partners. Without those elements, this case might have ended in tragedy. Vogel thanked numerous agencies that provided assistance in the search: Ephraim Fire and Rescue; Gibraltar, Sister Bay/Liberty Grove, Baileys Harbor and Sturgeon Bay fire departments; Sturgeon Bay police; Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources; Door County EMS and Emergency Management departments; the Coast Guard; Door County Human Services and the American Red Cross Numerous other agencies were also notified including the sheriffs departments in Marinette and Oconto counties in Wisconsin and Delta and Schoolcraft counties in Michigan, Vogel said. Several private personnel also assisted such as local commercial fisherman Jeff Weborg, he said.
Posted on: Sat, 12 Jul 2014 23:09:09 +0000