Two Ohio vacationers were rescued from Lake Huron after their kayaks capsized approximately 1 mile offshore of southern Sanilac County and northern St. Clair County Thursday around 10:30 a.m.
Michigan Department of Natural Resources Conservation Officers Chris Kravitsky and Mark Siemen were patrolling about a mile offshore when they observed an overturned kayak. Further out, they saw two people clinging to one kayak.
The water was 25 feet deep and 43 degrees Fahrenheit.
The husband, 32 and wife, 36, visitors from Westerville, Ohio, had been kayaking while staying at a lakeside vacation home. Neither was wearing a life jacket.
According to the couple, increasing offshore winds began pushing them farther from shore, causing them to panic. The wife’s kayak overturned first, and when her husband attempted to assist, both kayaks capsized, leaving them stranded.
The husband was suffering from cold exposure and was highly distressed. The wife had sustained a significant cut to her foot and, due to a recent surgery on her right arm, required special care removing her from the water. Officers provided first aid for the wife’s foot while on the patrol boat before returning to shore. The couple refused additional medical treatment.
The officers were able to drain and secure the kayaks on their patrol boat.
The couple estimated they had been in the water for approximately an hour, though rescuers believe the actual time was closer to 20 to 30 minutes.
Family members on shore witnessed the incident and contacted the U.S. Coast Guard in Detroit.
Michigan DNR conservation officers are fully licensed law enforcement officers who provide natural resources protection, ensure recreational safety, and protect residents through general law enforcement and lifesaving operations in the communities they serve. Learn more at Michigan.gov/ConservationOfficers.
Boating safety
Thursday’s incident serves as a reminder of the dangers posed by cold water, the speed with which conditions can turn on the Great Lakes, even on nice days, and the importance of wearing life jackets while on the water.
Regardless of operating on inland lakes or Great Lakes, keep these safety tips in mind:
Wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket. Situations on the water can happen much too fast to reach and put on a stowed life jacket.
Always ride with an operator who has completed an approved boater safety course. In Michigan, boater safety certificates are needed by anyone born after June 30, 1996, operating a motorized boat, or anyone born after Dec. 31, 1978, operating a personal watercraft, like a Jet Ski. Most states require a boater safety certificate for boat or personal watercraft rentals.
Make sure your boat is in good working condition and prepared with the necessary equipment, including a flotation device for each person on board.
File a float plan with someone you trust. Include details about the trip, boat, others on board, towing or trailer vehicle, communication equipment and emergency contacts.
Check the weather, including the water temperature, and monitor changing conditions.
Boat sober. Where the primary cause in boating-related deaths was known, alcohol was listed as a leading factor.
Beware of carbon monoxide poisoning. Gasoline-powered engines on boats, including onboard generators, produce carbon monoxide, a colorless and odorless gas that can poison or kill someone who breathes too much of it. Install and maintain a working CO detector, never block exhaust outlets, and always dock, beach or anchor at least 20 feet away from any boat running a generator or engine.
Keep in touch. Communication devices, such as marine radios, can be your most important piece of emergency equipment.
On the Great Lakes, be aware of orange flags and buoys which indicate commercial fishing nets under the surface of the water. Keep a distance of at least 500 feet. If your watercraft becomes entangled in a net, immediately turn off the engine and use wire cutters to cut the net. For more information, refer to Nets of the Great Lakes.
