By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
Two kayakers were rescued by crew members from the National Geographic Sea Bird Thursday evening in the middle of the mouth of Katlian Bay.
The kayakers, a Sitka couple in their 20s, were on an evening paddle from Starrigavan to Katlian Bay when the mishap occurred, police said. A sudden gust of wind had kicked up waves, swamping the kayaks, the two told police. They didn’t have lifejackets or radios, but signaled for help by waving to the passing Sea Bird, police said. Officers at the scene estimated the kayakers had been about 500 yards offshore at the time the wind increased. The National Weather Service station at the airport reported that the wind hit 32 mph out of the southwest at 6:08 p.m.
Crew members on the Sea Bird, a smaller cruise vessel with about 70 passengers, sent a distress call on VHF Channel 16, and launched a Zodiac inflatable to pull the two out of the water. The kayaks also were collected.
Police said a doctor from the Sea Bird provided medical care to the slightly hypothermic couple once they were aboard the cruise ship.
In the meantime, two police officers, Sgt. Lance Ewers and officer Barry Wilson, were just pulling into Thomsen Harbor after a training trip on the emergency response vessel when they heard the Sea Bird’s VHF Channel 16 message, around 7:30 p.m.
The officers turned around and went to help. By the time they arrived eight minutes later, the couple was on board the Sea Bird, and had been medically cleared. Police loaded the two, their kayaks and their equipment, into the ERV for a ride back to their car at Starrigavan.
“This is a real eye opening reminder to make sure you have enough life jackets for each person on the boat,” Ewers said.
He added that on the training trip he and a fellow officer found several boating parties without adequate PFDs on board, and gave them lifejackets for the journey. No citations, which are $120, were issued.
The officer asked the Sentinel to remind those who borrowed life jackets Thursday to return them to the police station at 304 Lake Street.
