Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District rescue boat Marine 24 on the Lake.
A water rescue in Marla Bay at Lake Tahoe resulted in two kayakers being pulled safely from the water on Tuesday evening.
Reports of a kayak capsizing on the Lake came in at around 6:45 p.m. after the wind came up, according to Tahoe Douglas Fire Chief Scott Lindgren.
The two occupants of the craft were struggling to try and right it in 1-2-foot waves.
Tahoe Douglas firefighters launched Marine 24 from the Forest Service Pier at Zephyr Cove while Rescue 24 made its way to shore with a rescue swimmer.
Lindgren said the boat arrived first and was able to pull them out of the water along with the kayak.
“Nobody was hurt, but they were exhausted,” he said. “We didn’t transport them.”
Lindgren said that the afternoon breeze can catch kayakers and paddleboarders on the Lake in rough water.
“It’s beautiful and easy on a paddleboard or kayak, and then the wind comes up and it gets real serious, real quick.”
Lake Tahoe isn’t an ocean, but it is a large lake and would be the sixth Great Lake by volume.
“We can get 3-4 foot swells, which is enough to capsize a kayak,” he said.
Another danger is cold water shock, which can cause someone to have a heart attack.
Lindgren said neither of the kayakers were wearing life vests or any sort of wetsuit.
“We’re happy there was a good outcome,” Lindgren said.
Marine 24 is stationed at the pier and responds to calls as needed except for busy weekends like Memorial and Labor Days or the Fourth of July.
“Then we have the boat with medics on the water all day,” Lindgren said. “Otherwise we respond as necessary.”
A Sparks man died on Topaz Lake while trying to retrieve a buoy on May 19.
