LORAIN, Ohio — While everyone is outdoors having fun in the beautiful weather, the Cleveland US Coast Guard has been busy, making sure everyone is safe in the water especially those on the kayaks.
On Memorial Day, Sasha Boulton is doing what many are doing, enjoying some family time outside with good food.
Usually, she’s on the water kayaking. She says she does it regularly during the summertime as a getaway.
“It's a great summer thing to do. I do it with my friends,” said Boulton.
She also makes sure if anything happens with her or her kayak the US Coast Guard know who to call.
“They keep the kayak registered through the state and they have they have it licensed with the numbers on the kayak,” said Boulton.
Which is what the Cleveland US Coast Guard wishes more people would do. They spent their morning on a two-hour search after they got called about an empty yellow kayak in the water near Sheffield Lake.
“We went out there arrived on scene found the caller that called in about the yellow Kayak,” said Zachery Rice Boatswain mate Cleveland U.S.Coast Guard
Through the investigation, they learned the kayak drifted away from someone’s home.
“They noticed that there was no signs of life that are attached to it.” Rice said. “There's a shovel inside there, there's a hand shovel, piece of wood that was just broken off.”
But it happens more often than people expect, Rice says during the summer they get about three calls every 48 hours about kayaks floating empty.
Which why he reminds all kayakers to get the reflective stickers with their contact information for the kayak. They pass them out every summer and you can find them by contacting your U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. They should also register their Kayak.
He also adds to always have your life jacket, and all the supplies you need including a light and shooting flares for an emergency during night paddles, so you can be safe and enjoy the water like Boulton.
“Kayaking is great it's a way to just keep busy in the summer and just something to be on stress reliever,” said Boulton.
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