Kayak Offshore Near Night
We were dispatched to check on a kayak that was reported about 1/4 mile offshore from SE 40th Street with night rapidly approaching. The wind was fairly strong and 3-4′ waves were breaking on the shore. Multiple 911 callers reported seeing a man in a kayak waving a light, as if needing help.
Oak Island Police Department, Oak Island Fire Department, and our crew quickly located the kayak just as all light was being lost. The man appeared to have a light on the kayak, which may have appeared to be a distress signal when viewed from ground level, as the waves between him and the shore rise and fall. He did not appear in distress, so we monitored the situation from SE 40th and then decided to move 8 blocks west to SE 32nd Street for a better view.
Once there, we could still see the light from the kayak, which did not appear to be moving. A decision was made to launch the surf boat, but the 2-man crew could not locate the kayak. The light on the kayak either went out or was turned off. The kayak was later seen much further down the beach, safely on shore.
