Frigid Lake Norman waters may have contributed to kayaker’s death, officer says
Frigid Lake Norman waters may have contributed to a kayaker’s death this week, an officer with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission said Friday.
The lake was 50 degrees or colder when 40-year-old Joshua Craig Scribben went under in the Knox Creek Cove area north of Henderson Road in Cornelius on Wednesday afternoon, Senior Officer Sam Shepperd told The Charlotte Observer.
A person “may not survive the first 60 seconds” in waters 50 degrees or below without a life jacket and dry suit, according to U.S. Coast Guard New York. “Cold water shock kills before hypothermia even sets in.”
“Cold shock can be just as severe and dangerous from water temperatures of 50-60°F as it is from water at 35°F,” according to a cold water hazards and safety report by the National Weather Service.
Scribben was alone at the time and was not wearing a life jacket, Shepperd said.
Although the cold water may have contributed, Scribben’s death remains under investigation, the officer said.
The kayak was found beached just before searchers recovered Scribben’s body, Shepperd said.
Authorities await the results of an autopsy that may reveal the cause of death, according to the station.
Friday night, a GoFundMe for Scribben’s wife of 23 years, Michelle, and their 1-year-old son, Kole, raised $16,415 toward a $28,000 goal.
This story was originally published March 13, 2026 at 3:55 PM.