A kayaker reported missing Tuesday night near Swan’s Island was found safe Wednesday after spending the night on a nearby island because of bad weather, according to the Coast Guard.

Coast Guard officials had launched an extensive search Tuesday for Jackson Day, 18, a summer resident of Swan’s Island, after his mother reported him overdue from his kayaking trip.

“This is a very favorable outcome considering all of the circumstances,” said Capt. Michael Baroody, commander, Coast Guard Sector Northern New England. “The low visibility, gusting winds and the lack of information on his whereabouts made this case incredibly difficult – furthermore, he was discovered without a life jacket.”

The air temperature dipped to 57 degrees Tuesday night with the water temperature below 60. Swan’s Island is about five miles off the coast of Mount Desert Island.

Day had been paddling to neighboring islands Tuesday in an 8-foot kayak when the weather changed, he told emergency responders. The winds picked up, so he paddled to Round Island, about a quarter mile away from Swan’s Island, where he spent the night before returning home the following day, the Coast Guard said.

Day had been last seen at 10 a.m. Tuesday paddling from the Swan’s Island ferry terminal, and the search was launched Tuesday night, according to the Coast Guard.

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Day was spotted at 8 a.m. Wednesday near Mackerel Cove on the northwest side of Swan’s Island. A 47-foot Coast Guard boat escorted him ashore, where he met with local police.

The overnight search was conducted by two 47-foot motor lifeboats from the Coast Guard station in Southwest Harbor, an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Cape Cod, the Hancock County Sheriff’s Department and the Maine Marine Patrol.

The Coast Guard encouraged boaters to always wear a life jacket and to let someone know where they are going and when they expect to return.

 


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