A family had a terrifying experience while paddleboarding in Florida on Tuesday.
The mother was with her family off the coast of Cedar Key when the thunderstorm hit, according to a U.S. Coast Guard press release.
Coast Guard Sector Petersburg received a call from the Levy County Sheriff’s Office at 10:41 a.m.
The sheriff’s office reported that a man on a paddleboard lost sight of his wife due to bad weather, and eventually she and her daughter made it to safety on nearby Dog Island beach.
Coast Guard rescues five people huddled on capsized boat 11 miles off Florida coast
A mother has reunited paddleboarders with their family after they were separated by thunderstorms off the coast of Cedar Key Tuesday morning. (Coast Guard Southeast)
The missing mother was found by authorities around 11 a.m. Tuesday. She was reunited with her husband and children a short time later. The family was transported by boat to the Cedar Key Boat Launch.
“While observing the water with binoculars, we spotted the bright orange life jacket she was wearing,” Coast Guard Petty Officer 3rd Class Elizabeth Knight said in the release.
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“She appeared exhausted from paddling against the weather but when she saw us she started waving her paddle in the air and calling for help,” Knight added.
Palm trees at City Park Beach, Cedar Key, Fla. A family became separated while paddle boarding off the coast of Cedar Key. The mother was rescued by the Coast Guard. (Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Capt. Michael P. Kahle, commander of the St. Petersburg District, praised the rescue effort, saying, “Coast Guard crews are always ready to rescue mariners at sea, regardless of their assigned mission. In this case, while performing routine maintenance, our aids to navigation team was able to assist in the rescue of a paddleboarder who appeared to be in distress.”
The Coast Guard said no one was injured.
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“I want to thank the Coast Guard members who serve across the country providing aid to navigation and am pleased they were able to reunite this mother, her husband and child,” added Karl.
