CHASSELL TOWNSHIP – The Houghton County Sheriff’s Department, along with the Chassell and Bootjack first responders, responded to a call Monday afternoon of a boat that had washed up on shore near Fisherman’s Lane and Portage Entry Road in Chassell Township, according to a press release.

Deputies were dispatched to the scene at approximately 4:20 p.m. Upon arriving, the 15-foot boat was determined to belong to a 48-year-old man who regularly fishes that area. He was not identified in the report

Deputies searched both sides of the canal, and the owner of the boat was located by Bootjack first responders walking along the Jacobsville Road near White City Park in Torch Lake Township.

The boater was treated for possible hypothermia, reunited with his boat and returned to the Chassell side of the canal, the release stated.

According to the boater, he had fallen out of the boat while trying to land a fish. He said he fell into the water and was unable to catch his boat as the wind was blowing it away from him. He said he decided instead to swim to shore, because he began experiencing cramping due to the temperature of the water.

While the man did have a life jacket on board, he was not wearing it at the time of the incident, according to the release.