`At The Mercy Of The Current' -- Man Survives Hours In The Water

Buoyed by a life preserver and kept warm by a drysuit, a Bellingham man drifted for more than three hours Saturday in the frigid waters of Rosario Strait.

Currents took the ejected kayaker near land, where Larry Kaiser Jr. swam to safety. When dawn broke yesterday, Kaiser spotted crews who had been searching through the night for him, and swam to them across a short stretch of water.

U.S. Coast Guard officials said Kaiser and a friend had been camping on Strawberry Island, which is about five nautical miles northwest of Anacortes. The two were kayaking back when Kaiser became seasick and too exhausted to go on, said U.S. Coast Guard Lt. Larry Kennedy.

The friend continued to Anacortes, on Fidalgo Island, and contacted the Coast Guard at 4:03 p.m. Saturday.

While a Coast Guard helicopter searched by air, a 41-foot utility boat and the Coast Guard Cutter Point Doran scanned the waters.

Meanwhile, Kaiser and the kayak ended up separated in Rosario Strait, known for its treacherous currents. Kaiser drifted between Fidalgo and Lopez islands.

"He was at the mercy of the current," Kennedy said.

About 3 1/2 hours after the search began, the kayak washed ashore at Burrows Island, just west of Fidalgo Island, Kennedy said. A Skagit County rescue team was flown there to search for Kaiser.

About the time rescuers found Kaiser's kayak, the man drifted toward land and was able to climb onto nearby Allan Island, where he

spent the night. Early yesterday, Kaiser crossed the island and saw search teams on Burrows Island, Kennedy said.

Kaiser swam the three-tenths of a mile to meet the rescuers at about 8 a.m. yesterday. He was flown by Navy helicopter to Island Hospital in Anacortes, where he was treated and released.

According to Coast Guard charts, the water in the strait was about 51 degrees.

Hypothermia can set in within minutes if a swimmer is unprotected. Drysuits such as the one Kaiser wore are watertight and use a pocket of air as insulation. Depending on the type, they can provide protection for hours, the Coast Guard said.