CAPE CORAL, Fla. — Two kayakers got lost in a Cape Coral bay, but thanks to police technology, they were easily found.
CCPD released a new body camera video of the moment the kayakers were rescued in Buzzard Bay on November 7. That is just north of Matlacha.
A lovely day out on the water took quite a turn when these kayakers saw something moving in the water right under them. They tried to get away by paddling through the mangroves.
The kayakers had no idea where they were, so they panicked and called 911. Thankfully, the dispatcher who picked up their call calmed them down before officers arrived.
The dispatcher told them they were found through GPS tracking.
“Latitude, longitude to direct them further, and then they eventually paddled out and kind of met the officers in location,” said Mercedes Phillips, public information officer for CCPD.
They were there only 30 minutes before the CCPD marine unit found them.
“I think it usually happens more than we think. People can probably navigate themselves out, but when you’re lost in different channels and stuff like that, it can get overwhelming,” Phillips said.
And a good thing, too, because they had run out of water and Gatorade.
“In Florida, the sun is hot, especially for visitors and stuff like that. I don’t think people realize just how fast things can go downhill,” she said.
The owner of Cape Coral Kayaks, Simone Ferreira, said this isn’t surprising.
“Most of the people are out of town, or even out of the country that rent from us,” Ferreira said.
Something like this could happen to any of us, even if you think you know the waters well. The best way to avoid getting lost is to keep your phone charged and have strong paddles and other safety gear.
“You have to make sure you have some good gear like a life jacket,” Ferreira said.
And if you do end up getting stuck, try not to panic.
“Make sure someone knows where you are and share your location,” she said.
In this rescue, the dispatcher was very calm.
“She did a great job with the call and stuff like that because they’re not always taught necessarily full de-escalation and have that calm demeanor,” Phillips said.
That’s why CCPD has put her up for an accommodation award.