HERNANDO BEACH, Fla. — A couple operating a self-powered paddleboat had to be rescued on Sunday when the weather started to take a turn for the worst.
Around 6:50 p.m., the Hernando County Sheriff's Office received a 911 call from a man who reported that he and his wife had gotten lost in the water while on the paddleboat near Linda Pedersen Park in Hernando Beach.
The man said that he was concerned because they were unfamiliar with the area, the sun was setting, it was low tide and their phones were starting to die. When the weather started to get bad, the couple became disoriented.
Deputies weren't able to find the couple from the shore of Jenkins Creek Park or Bayport Park Pier, but did make contact with two kayakers who told them they saw a similar paddleboat west of Jenkins Creek.
The Marine Unit was then called in to join the search, and they were able to find the couple in a marshy area near Centipede Bay around 9:23 p.m.
Both the husband and wife were uninjured and taken back to shore.
