Kayakers stranded due to high winds rescued on Nickajack Lake

Erin McCullough
·2 min read

HALETOWN, Tenn. (WKRN) — Two dozen kayakers who were stranded on Nickajack Lake in Marion County due to high winds had to be rescued by officers with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) Monday, March 25.

According to the TWRA, officers received the call for help at around 8:30 p.m. Monday. When they arrived to Nickajack Cave, they discovered 27 kayakers, including children, stranded on a bank due to the extremely high winds.

A wind advisory was called for much of the mid-state through Tuesday, morning, according to News 2 meteorologists. Wind gusts were estimated to be between 20 and 40 miles per hour.

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Per TWRA, the Nickajack cave tour group left out of the Macedonia Road boat ramp earlier in the evening, paddling across the lake to the Nickajack cave. Harsh conditions and high winds quickly challenged the kayakers, and a few ended up in the water. The entire group made it to shore near the cave, TWRA said, and they called for emergency assistance.

  • Marion boating rescue TWRA
    (Courtesy: Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency)
  • (Courtesy: Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency)
    (Courtesy: Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency)
  • (Courtesy: Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency)
    (Courtesy: Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency)
  • (Courtesy: Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency)
    (Courtesy: Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency)

Haletown Volunteer Fire Department, Puckett EMS, and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office also responded to the assistance call, TWRA said. Haletown Fire arrived with a boat for rescue efforts; however, the vessel was small, and it was capsized by winds before it was disconnected from the trailer.

TWRA officers were able to ferry kayakers to shore, where they were tended to by medical personnel. No injuries resulted from the incident, according to TWRA.

All kayakers were wearing life jackers, the agency said.

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“This is a great example of the importance of life jackets,” said TWRA Boating Officer David Holt. “With water temperatures in the mid to high 40s and high windspeeds, life jackers were a key safety factor.”

All the boaters were transported to safety, despite the “extremely poor water conditions,” according to TWRA.

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