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One of the unmanned kayaks rests on shore of Lake Erie near Fairport, Ohio, June 10, 2013. Two kayaks were returned to their owner due in part to the orange stickers located on the back half of the kayak, which allowed response agencies to track down the owner. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Seaman Sean Caffrey |
CLEVELAND — The Coast Guard conducted a search Monday morning after two kayaks were found washed ashore in Lake Erie.
At about 11:30 a.m., a search-and-rescue controller at Coast Guard Sector Buffalo, N.Y., received notification of two red kayaks unmanned and beached near the HTP Marina in Fairport, Ohio.
A boatcrew from Coast Guard Station Fairport, Ohio, aboard a 25-foot Response Boat-Small responded and conducted searches of the area with negative results.
A Fairport lifeguard unit completed a shoreline search also with negative results.
One of the kayaks was Ohio registered and also had a Coast Guard Paddle Smart sticker. Sector Buffalo and the Fairport Police Department were able to use the registration and sticker to locate the owner of the kayaks.
The owner stated that three kayaks, three oars and one life jacket had been stolen from his residence sometime this past weekend.
Two oars were located a short distance from the kayaks and a life jacket was found farther inland.
There are no reports of overdue or missing persons.
The owner will retrieve both kayaks, both oars and the life jacket.
The name of the owner is not being released.
The Coast Guard wishes to remind boaters of the importance of properly registering their vessels.
Ohio law requires all paddlecraft, like kayaks, to be registered. That is not necessarily the case throughout the 9th Coast Guard District. The Coast Guard’s Operation Paddle Smart program assists with that by providing free, waterproof stickers that can be affixed to a canoe, kayak or other paddlecraft.
The sticker is intended to enable the Coast Guard to rapidly link abandoned or drifting paddlecraft to their owners. These stickers help rescuers to determine if a mariner is truly in distress and, in many cases, the best search area.
Even if it is determined that the owner is not in distress, as in this case, these stickers can ensure that lost or stolen property gets back to its rightful owner. Paddle Smart stickers can be obtained by contacting your nearest Coast Guard Auxiliary flotilla.
