Lost kayak found miles from home

KEY LARGO, Fla. (WSVN) -- A man will be reunited with his kayak after it drifted hundreds of miles away at sea.

The kayak is owned by Attorney Sam Dawson, who lives in the Cayman Islands. Six weeks ago, Dawson fell off the vessel near the Cayman Coast. Currents carried the kayak a total distance of 600 miles from the Cayman Islands to Key Largo.

Boat Captain Mike Brooks discovered it a few miles off the Key Largo coast. "Here, I see this thing floating in the water, and I had no idea what it was. I've never seen anything like it," said Brooks. "I looked around for a little while, but then immediately after that, I called the Coast Guard and let them know that this is an abandoned vessel."

According to Brooks, he originally noticed the kayak because it was so streamlined.

The Coast Guard contacted Dawson and told him some found his kayak. "I got a call from a guy over in Cayman says, 'I think you found my kayak,' and we talked for a little while, and I didn't believe him at first," said Brooks.

Bruce Gipson, who sold the kayak to Dawson, said, "I know what the Gulf Stream can do, but I didn't think it would go through the Yucatan channel around Cuba and land in Key Largo."

Brooks was rewarded for the find and received a case of his favorite beer. "I try to do the right thing and get it back to the original owner, and I'm just happy he's going to have it now, and what a story he'll always have on this thing," Brooks said.

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