News Page Updated: Thursday, September 10, 2009 10:39 AM PDT

Coast Guard rescues kayakers

By Amy Moss Strong
Editor

Two men were rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard Saturday afternoon after they lost their kayaks in heavy surf on the Coquille River bar. A surfer who went out to help the kayakers also was picked up.

The incident began with a 5:48 p.m. call to the Coast Guard station indicating that two kayakers were swamped trying to cross the bar, Coast Guard officer Adriane Caminhas said.

Four young people in their 20s from out of town had rented three pedal-powered kayaks from Bandon Kayak Rentals and paddled out between the jetties. All four were wearing life jackets. Kayak rental owner Mike Sterling said he told the kayakers not to go past the Coquille River Lighthouse.

According to witnesses, when the kayakers were seen heading toward the bar, Bandon resident Chas Waldrop, who was riding his bike to the South Jetty, tried to wave and warn them back. A couple on the tandem kayak capsized on the first swell, Sterling said. The other two kayakers made it past the first swell, but were unable to stay upright and soon overturned and were separated from their boats, witnesses said.

Onlookers called 911 and Waldrop rode back into town to find Sterling, who called the Coast Guard. Coast Guard BM1 Daniel Nielson of the Bandon station, said he told Sterling they had already received several calls when the kayakers were first headed toward the bar, and they were watching them from Coast Guard hill.

“They were surf-kayaking for about 10 minutes,” Nielson said. “We were watching it and once they passed the bar and were in the surf zone, they looked OK.”

Nielson explained that kayakers often go over the bar and are similar to surfers in that they are seeking waves and whitewater-type experience.

One man and his fiancée made it to the North Jetty, where they had climbed up on the rocks. When the kayakers in the water appeared to be in distress, the Coast Guard responded with a ground crew to the South Jetty, Neilson said, because they didn’t think the Coast Guard vessel could make it to them in the shallow surf. The crew then went back to the boat basin and launched the 47-foot motor life boat. Nielson said the response time was eight minutes.

The Coast Guard does not “launch blindly,” Neilson explained. Instead, they get the information needed and plan the most effective rescue.

However, Shoaf, who was wearing a wet suit, had already climbed down the rocks into the water with his surfboard, despite protests from onlookers. Shoaf then was able to get hold of both people, and all three of them held onto the surf board about 100 yards off the North Jetty, said witnesses. They were unable to paddle back to shore.

The Bandon police also responded and helped the Coast Guard locate the victims from both jetties. A short while later, a helicopter from Air Station North Bend arrived.

Neither Shoaf, who works as a caddie at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, nor the two kayakers were injured in the incident. The two who made it to the North Jetty did suffer minor abrasions and were treated and released at Southern Coos Hospital, Sterling said, adding that all three kayaks were recovered. He said the group later told him they were experienced in whitewater and had planned to kayak to Elephant Rock.

Shoaf, 48, works as a caddie at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort.