(TWRA) From WSMV: Nearly 30 kayakers, including children, were rescued from Nickajack Lake on Monday after being stranded by high winds, according to
(TWRA)
From WSMV: Nearly 30 kayakers, including children, were rescued from Nickajack Lake on Monday after being stranded by high winds, according to the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency.
TWRA said kayakers called 911 after they were stranded on a bank due to extremely high winds at a cave near Nickajack cave at about 8:30 p.m.
The cave tour group (27 kayakers, including children) left out of the Macedonia Road boat ramp earlier in the evening, paddling across the lake to the cave.
“Harsh conditions and high winds quickly challenged the kayakers, and a few did enter the water. The entire group made it to shore near the cave and called for emergency assistance,” the TWRA said.
Several first-responding agencies were dispatched to the scene to rescue the kayakers. At one point, the Haletown Fire Department’s boat, which was small, was capsized by the winds before disconnecting from the trailer. TWRA officers were able to ferry the kayakers to shore where they were checked out by medical personnel.
No injuries were reported in this incident.
“All kayakers were wearing life jackets,” the TWRA said. “This is a great example of the importance of life jackets. With water temperatures in the mid to high 40′s and high windspeeds, life jackets were a key safety factor.” Wildlife Officers and all agencies responded quickly to the scene to provide care for the stranded boaters and get them back to safety in extremely poor water conditions.”
