(WWJ) – A West Michigan man is recovering after being rescued from chilly waters near Traverse City on Saturday.
Michigan State Police got a call a little before 2 p.m. from a distressed kayaker who was in the water on Long Lake, about 10 miles southwest of Traverse City.
At the time of the call, the air temperature was 47 degrees and the water was 53, according to MSP.
A trooper responding to the call got help from a man on the shoreline with a boat to help him rescue the kayaker, a 37-year-old from West Olive.
The man, who told the trooper he had been in the water for about an hour, was shivering and had begun to lose his fine motor skills, according to MSP.
A Long Lake Fire Department member arrived on another boat operated by local citizens and they were able to get the kayaker safely on the boat. He was taken to Munson Medical Center Traverse City to be treated for hypothermia.
His condition was not clear on Sunday.
Authorities were also able to recover the kayak and the man's personal belongings.
