TMJ4’s Gideon Verdin visited Lime Kiln Park in Grafton to assess the conditions of the Milwaukee River for himself after a series of kayak rescues raised safety concerns.
According to the Ozaukee County Sheriff’s Department, on Saturday, June 29, 2024, at approximately 11:55 a.m., deputies received a report of a kayak in distress on an island in the Milwaukee River near Manchester Drive in the Town of Grafton.
A 38-year-old man, a 36-year-old woman and their 2-year-old child from Mequon were kayaking on the Milwaukee River when their kayaks overturned. All three were separated from their kayaks and stranded on an island in the river. The child was wearing a life jacket and neither were the adults, although they had life jackets on them at the time.
A water rescue was carried out and all three people were brought safely back to shore. The Grafton Police Department, Saukville Police Department, Ozaukee County Emergency Management and the Ozaukee County Drone Squad attended the incident.
This was the second water rescue on the same stretch of the Milwaukee River in Grafton in two days.
The previous incident occurred on Thursday, June 27, 2024 at approximately 2:36 pm when the Ozaukee County Sheriff’s Office received a report of two kayakers in distress on an island in the Milwaukee River near Heather Court in Grafton.
A 49-year-old man and his 16-year-old son from Grafton were kayaking when their kayaks overturned. Both were wearing life jackets. They got separated from their kayaks and got stranded on an island. A water rescue was carried out and both people were safely brought back to shore.
In both incidents, kayakers entered the Milwaukee River at Lime Kiln Park in Grafton and their kayaks overturned near Manchester Drive. The Ozaukee County Sheriff’s Office is urging kayakers to avoid using this stretch of the Milwaukee River until water levels recede and conditions improve.
We spoke with Avy Fredrichs of Milwaukee Kayak, a couple celebrating a kayaking birthday, and two local fishermen about staying safe on the water.
“It’s a lot higher than it normally is; I’ve never seen it that high,” says Gavin Halula, a fisherman from Grafton.
After a morning of fishing, friends Gavin Halula and Gavin Neyhard told me they wouldn’t dare enter the water.
“If you’re the best and fastest swimmer in the world, you wouldn’t make it,” says Halula.
The most recent rescues involved extremely swift water conditions and downed trees and debris, making navigation difficult. One of the rescues included two adults and a 2-year-old child; the child was wearing a life jacket, but the adults were not.
“This is called a life jacket for a reason; everyone should have one,” says Avy Fredrichs of Milwaukee Kayak.
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Avy was coaching a few on kayak safety before heading out on the river.
“It’s my birthday, I’m just trying to find something fun to do,” says Peter Preston, a local Milwaukee kayaker.
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Fun indeed, but not to be taken lightly.
“We’re not trying to prove anything; we’re just here to have fun, stay safe and get back in one piece,” says Preston.
“This is the first tool to keep you safe on the river. A life jacket will help you whether you’re a great swimmer or not,” says Fredrichs.
Luckily, everyone in Grafton was rescued safely, but as the holiday approaches, Avy has some tips to keep in mind when kayaking.
“Before you leave on the river, let someone know your plan to float. Tell them when you will start kayaking and where you plan to go so that someone on land knows where you are and can help you in an emergency. ”, says Fredrichs.
“Getting these calls for families is just heartbreaking, knowing their family is stuck. A lot of times, it’s so traumatic that they don’t even want to touch the water,” says angler Gavin Neyhard of Grafton.
All experienced kayakers tell me that a life jacket is a must, but your eyes can be your best defense.
“You should read the river before you go out, and if it looks very choppy and there’s a lot of debris in the water, that’s a risk!” says Friedrichs.
Gavin Neyhard agrees that kayaking is now far too risky.
“Besides kayaking, I think fishing is a great option right now. If you throw a worm out, you’ll probably get something to bite, just don’t get too close to the water and be safe,” says Neyhard.
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