Mystery surrounds kayak found on North Carolina barrier island, Coast Guard says

An empty kayak found on a North Carolina barrier island has created a mystery the U.S. Coast Guard is asking the public to help solve.

Did the owner vanish? Or is there another explanation for why a perfectly sound kayak was abandoned on the Intracoastal Waterway?

“There are no reports of missing persons or overdue boaters in the area,” officials said in a news release. “The Coast Guard is seeking the public’s help identifying the owner of a kayak.”

The craft was spotted by “a good Samaritan” around 1 p.m. Tuesday, “off the south side of Masonboro Island on the Intracoastal Waterway,” according to the release.

“Sector North Carolina watchstanders issued an Urgent Marine Information Broadcast requesting mariners keep a sharp lookout while transiting the area,” officials said.

The kayak is a 6-foot Lifetime Wave, which the company’s website says “is specifically designed for kids ages 5 and up, or up to 130 lbs.”

Masonboro Island Reserve, just south of Wilmington, is an 8.4 mile-long barrier island that counts as “the longest undisturbed barrier island ecosystem in southern North Carolina,” according to Wilmingtonandbeaches.com. It is separated from the mainland by the Intracoastal Waterway, and is known for hosting “salt marsh and tidal creek ecosystems” used by researchers, the site reports.

“The Masonboro Island site can only be reached by boat, kayak or canoe,” Wilmingtonandbeaches.com says. “There are public and private boat ramps in and near Wrightsville Beach and Carolina Beach.”

This story was originally published February 18, 2021 at 1:12 PM with the headline "Mystery surrounds kayak found on North Carolina barrier island, Coast Guard says."