US Coast Guard Needs Your Help With Kayak Mystery On Lake Superior

Last week, the US Coast Guard was alerted to the presence of a kayak that washed up in Duluth on Lake Superior's Minnesota shoreline.

A Duluth resident contacted the Coast Guard to report that an unmanned yellow tandem kayak had washed ashore near The Ledges in Duluth, which is near the intersection of I-35 and London Road.

The report, which was made on July 17, included a couple of photos, noting that the tandem kayak had a paddle aboard.

The Coast Guard's Sector Northern Great Lakes command center shared the photos on their Facebook page, asking the public for help.

One of the concerns the Coast Guard expressed was whether or not this unmanned kayak could potentially be related to a missing person who may have been using the kayak. Because of that, they're looking for any information the public may have about the kayak or any missing people in the area that could have ties to the kayak.

As one person commenting on their post pointed out, the fact that a paddle was on board could be a good sign that it might not be as dire of a situation - at least in terms of a water emergency. If someone in a kayak ends up falling out of the watercraft, their paddle likely wouldn't be inside the kayak after such an incident.

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Even then, one of the photos from a distance shows the kayak upside-down, likely how it was found before the person who took the photos investigated to take the close-up photos.

Even if it had drifted away with a paddle aboard or was parked ashore where it was discovered, the Coast Guard's concern of making sure whoever was using the kayak is okay is still valid, being it has now been unclaimed for a few days.

While those are among the worst-case scenarios, it is also possible it was just beached somewhere on the lake and it drifted away. As someone suggested in the Facebook post's comments, its possible someone attending Glensheen's Concerts on the Pier just down the shoreline a little over a half mile away could have had their kayak get away from them.

One note on that front - the report was received and posted in the afternoon of July 17, which is a Wednesday, when Concerts on the Pier are held. That said, the report was posted just after 2 pm on the 17th, and the music doesn't get going on Wednesdays until 5:30 pm.

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No matter the reason for the kayak on the loose, it has gotten away from its owner, and the Coast Guard is looking for your help in making sure everyone is okay and reuniting the kayak with its owner.

If you know anything about the kayak, you're asked to contact he Sector Northern Great Lakes command center at 906-635-3319 immediately.