AT OR AROUND 6:45PM ON JULY 5, 2012, operator WAS ATTEMPTING TO PADDLE VESSEL ONE FROM THE STRAITS AREA ACROSS TO THE BEAUFORT SIDE OF NORTH RIVER.  HE WAS HEADING INTO THE STRONG WINDS AND ALSO TRYING TO PADDLE THROUGH SWIFT CURRENTS.  VESSEL ONE BECAME SIDE TO THE WAVES AND WAS IMMEDIATELY CAPSIZED.  operator HELD ONTO THE KAYAK WHILE DRIFTING IN THE WATER FOR FIVE HOURS.  HE SAID IT WAS SO ROUGH THE WAVES WERE CONSTANTLY BREAKING OVER HIS HEAD.  operator AND VESSEL ONE WASHED UP TO THE SHORE NEAR THE HWY 70 BRIDGE OVER NORTH RIVER.  HE WAS BRIEFLY HOSPITALIZED FOR HAVING SALT WATER IN HIS LUNGS.
HARKERS ISLAND                