UPDATE: Kayaker rescued off Alki Point

1:07 AM: An SFD water-rescue response and SPD units are headed for the Alki Point vicinity, and dispatch is describing the incident as a possible disturbance on a boat. Updates to come.

1:14 AM: First units arriving in the area aren’t seeing anything so far.

1:21 AM: A fireboat has located “a patient” offshore and has them onboard. They’ll be taking the person to Seacrest. Dispatch is describing the person as “a kayaker that was in distress.”

1:31 PM: SFD says the kayaker is unhurt. Both they and their kayak are on board the fireboat.

Mayor of Alki April 18, 2023 (1:20 am)

Ferry boat is also assisting. Just off the lighthouse. Fairly windy and definitely cold.

WS Neighbor April 18, 2023 (1:26 am)

Woke up to seeing two sets of red flashing lights off north shores of Beach Dr. Yup, it’s on the Blog! Hope no one is hurt.

wssz April 18, 2023 (1:51 am)

Thank you for the updates. Two emergency vehicles passed by just before 1am. I immediately checked the WSB for information. Really good to know that the kayaker is unhurt. It seems so dangerous to be kayaking at night. I remember years ago when two kayakers tried to paddle to Vashon at night. One was a manager at PCC and I had talked with him the night before. He was so excited about his upcoming adventure. It was devastating to learn later than neither of them survived.

West Seattle Mad Sci Guy April 18, 2023 (8:22 am)

Whoa. That’s a late kayak. Glad everyone is safe

Common sense April 18, 2023 (8:35 am)

Kayaking at 1am in the morning in far less than ideal conditions is completely irresponsible and ridiculous. As this kayaker found they put themselves at risk but also all of the crews that had to respond in the middle of the night and go looking for him. It’s selfish and unacceptable to take completely avoidable risks like this.

Guy Olson April 18, 2023 (8:46 am)

I wonder why they were out paddling last night, it was pretty rough out there. 16 units were dispatched, and the whole neighborhood was aware of it.

John April 18, 2023 (6:25 pm)

Pretty rough is an understatement! I woke up to use the bathroom around 4:00 a.m. and the wind was so loud carrying the engines of the ferry coming into Fauntleroy I could hear them all the way up at my house as they were using the engines to try to slow down coming in to dock

sam-c April 18, 2023 (8:50 am)

Yikes! that sounds really scary. Thank goodness everyone is ok.

Lucy April 18, 2023 (9:19 am)

Seems like an unwise decision to go kayaking at night when the weather has been so unstable. I’m glad they are ok, but hope they bear some financial responsibility for using precious resources.

Amy April 18, 2023 (11:27 am)

Really, financial responsibility for using a resource that in place for something like this? How about ‘learning a lesson’ with not dying.
- Jim April 18, 2023 (6:23 pm)
  
  It’s not really “in place for a time like this” granted they will rescue you but It’s in place for actual emergencies when someone has their hull rupture or there’s a boating accident or someone accidentally falls overboard. This person ignored weather warnings, went out on a cold day and it didn’t sound like they were properly prepared. And although there were sun breaks today the weather was not nice early this morning so I don’t know what they were thinking
Lisab April 18, 2023 (2:05 pm)

So agree.
Brian April 18, 2023 (4:44 pm)

Fortunately for all of us, we haven’t commodified public services to that dystopian level yet. Jeez Louise.
Reed April 18, 2023 (6:17 pm)

Next time someone crashes a car because they are speeding, let’s make sure they get the bill for any EMS or extraction needs.
- CarDriver April 18, 2023 (7:45 pm)
  
  Reed. False equivalency. Not even close to being the same.
  - Reed April 19, 2023 (6:42 am)
    
    Sure it is. Ignoring the law, driving dangerously without consideration for weather/road conditions and other road users, etc. It is the exact same thing, but just common place in our car-centric society so people view it as the exception.

Auntie April 18, 2023 (10:20 am)

There have been “small craft warnings” up for days! Why would you take the chance in the wild and windy weather?

John April 18, 2023 (6:22 pm)

Because people don’t always take the proper precautions that they should on the water around here and they don’t factor in the people that are going to have to come save them. It’s baffling to me how many people I see off Alki in the summertime not wearing life jackets on paddle boards and in kayaks or windsurfing

John April 18, 2023 (6:20 pm)

Today wasn’t really a great kayaking day even with the sun breaks. People need to be more aware of the weather, cautious of the current, tell someone where you’re going and when your expect to be back and ALWAYS WEAR A LIFE JACKET

momosmom April 18, 2023 (7:54 pm)

I’m sure the kayaker realizes what they did was irresponsible and dumb now that they are safe and warm on dry land and do not need to be reminded of it by so many rubbing salt into their already wounded wound.

Sorry, comment time is over.