On the afternoon of Tuesday, March 17, Avery Bryan and Eva Aponte were attempting to return to Cedar Key from Atsena Otie Key when the teens drifted nearly 14 nautical miles off course. Swept off their route by strong winds and the tides, the pair and their shared an inflatable paddleboard for 15 hours overnight before they were found and rescued at 8 a.m. on March 18 by local volunteers.
When a casual paddleboard adventure turns life or death for two teens in Cedar Key
The teens encountered 6-foot (2-meter) seas, gusting winds, and water temperatures as low as the high 30s Fahrenheit overnight according to estimates by Lieutenant Scott Tummond of the Levy County Sheriff’s Office shared with TODAY. Another estimate put the air temperature at 45 degrees Fahrenheit (7 Celsius).
Three times throughout their night at sea, the teens spotted a helicopter flying overhead with a spotlight, though it was unable to locate them. As the teens were blown into shore near Turtle Creek throughout the night, he sharp oyster shells made it hard for the girls to walk their paddleboard and themselves into the path of the searchlight, Bryan and Aptone shared with rescuers.
The teens were found near Turtle Creek when good Samaritan local fisherman spotted their paddleboard on shore and the teens waved for help.
“Both girls were immediately treated by an amazing rescue team for dehydration and hypothermia,” Levy County Sheriff Bobby McCallum shared on Facebook while thanking first responders and volunteers.
“The number of boats on the water from a law enforcement agency’s point of view is just astounding add to that triple or quadruple the amount of volunteers we had out there,” shared Tummond. “That’s what made this a happy ending.”
Both teens were released from the hospital on March 21.
Surviving a night at sea on a paddle board
The teens likely owe their survival to staying with their paddleboard and sticking together throughout the night. Additionally, the teens informed their guardians of their paddling plans. When they didn’t return, help was called and the search began.
What started as a casual paddle quickly escalated to a life or death situation for Bryan & Aponte, who didn’t make the half-mile return trip to the Cedar Key pier from Atsena Otie Key, likely due to offshore winds and tides. Offshore winds blow from the land out to sea, and can pose a threat to the unsuspecting paddler. With offshore winds the water may appear calm and sheltered nearshore, but as soon as you leave the protection of the lee, or “wind shadow” of land, those winds can push a paddler out to sea. The farther from shore you’re pushed, the larger the waves and worse the conditions.
While the teens’ choices on the water ultimately led to their survival, a few key factors could have made their night at sea more comfortable, staved off hypothermia, and led to a quicker rescue.
Where the teens were dressed in t-shirts, dressing for the water temperature rather than the air temperature can increase chances of survival and delay hypothermia onset. This can include wearing a wetsuit or drysuit when out paddling. Additionally the teens were treated for dehydration. Packing food, water, and emergency clothing to cover a longer period of time than you expect to be paddling can help you stay healthy and comfortable, even when waiting for help to arrive.
Throughout the night, the teens were unable to signal their location to the search helicopters above. It’s important to carry more than one reliable way to signal for help in an emergency. In this situation, even a cell phone stored in a secure drybag could be used via search light reflecting on the screen to signal for help to passing boats or a helicopter overhead.
What to pack for a paddleboarding day trip
What you pack for your paddling trips can make a huge difference in your comfort or even survival. What to wear and pack for paddleboarding is similar to what kayakers wear and pack. For a paddleboard day trip it’s important to bring…
- A PFD (life jacket), worn on your body rather than strapped to your boat or board
- A wetsuit or drysuit depending on water temperature
- A SUP leash and paddle
- Multiple ways to signal for help (cell phone, signal mirror, InReach, flare, ect)
If coastal paddling, a VHF radio - Food and water
- Emergency layers or a space blanket stored in a dry bag
- A first aid kit
- Maps, charts, and relevant local knowledge
