Two kayakers and two paddleboarders found themselves paddling against choppy waters Sunday afternoon before they had to be rescued. Emergency personnel were called just after 2:30 p.m. after people at Nicolet Bay Beach spotted the four kids struggling out in the water. Wind speeds were approximately 25-30 miles an hour, creating poor water conditions for the boaters. A Good Samaritan, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Ephraim Fire Department, Gibraltar Fire and Rescue were able to rescue the children without further incident. Gibraltar Fire Chief Andy Bertges says it serves as a reminder to check the weather before you go out and to always have a personal floatation device.
Ephraim Fire Chief Justin MacDonald says they were able to prevent a stray 33 foot catamaran from going further out into the water on their way back from the call. The water rescue was part of a busy weekend for Door County Dispatch workers. Over 250 calls were received over the holiday weekend including 83 between 7:30 a.m. Saturday and 6 a.m. Sunday.
