A Kodiak kayaker died Monday, Aug. 26, after his kayak was found partially submerged in the water near Woody Island.
The Coast Guard received a report of an empty blue kayak in the water west of Woody Island, roughly 100 yards offshore, just after 10 a.m. Monday morning. A MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Air Station Kodiak found an unresponsive man on the beach nearby about an hour later during a search of the area according to Shannon Kearney, a spokesperson for the USCG Base Kodiak.
Alaska State Troopers took the lead on the investigation and later identified the victim as 37-year-old Michael Thomas Motes of Kodiak.
Motes was the only person found near the partially submerged kayak but the original report came from a Good Samaritan in the area. According to the marine weather forecast for Chiniak Bay, south to southwest winds were 20 to 25 knots with seas around 5 to 6 feet during the day Monday.
Troopers said the investigation is ongoing and next of kin have been notified.