2 kayakers rescued from Lake Huron after winds pushed vessels away from shore
Two visitors from Ohio were rescued after their kayaks capsized about a mile offshore in the Michigan waters of Lake Huron, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources said.
The boating accident happened about 10:30 a.m. Thursday, near the shores of Sanilac and St. Clair counties.
Two DNR conservation officers were patrolling Lake Huron, about a mile offshore, when they noticed an overturned kayak. As they approached the vessel, they found two people clinging to one kayak. The victims were a 32-year-old man and a 36-year-old woman, husband and wife, from Westerville in Central Ohio.
Neither one was wearing a life jacket, the DNR said. The water in that area was 25 feet deep and 43 degrees Fahrenheit.
The couple said they were staying at a lakeside vacation home when they decided to go kayaking. Increasingly stronger offshore winds pushed them away from shore.
"The wife's kayak overturned first, and when her husband attempted to assist, both kayaks capsized, leaving them stranded," the DNR said.
In the meantime, family members onshore witnessed the accident and contacted the U.S. Coast Guard in Detroit.
The DNR said the man was found to be suffering from cold exposure. The woman had a laceration on her foot, and due to a recent surgery on her right arm, needed special assistance when getting out of the water.
The conservation officers provided first aid care for the woman's foot, and the two declined further medical treatment.
The DNR officers then secured and drained the kayaks on their patrol boat.
The two are estimated to have been in the water for about 20 to 30 minutes before their rescue.
Boating safety
The Michigan DNR says Great Lakes water conditions can change quickly, and those who are boating should wear a Coast Guard-approved life jacket. "Situations on the water can happen much too fast to reach and put on a stowed life jacket," they said.
Additional outdoor safety information, including a list of boater education classes, is on the Michigan DNR website.
