13-year-old paddleboarder rescued after he became stranded on a Maine lake without a paddle

A 13-year-old paddleboarder was rescued Tuesday after he became stranded without a paddle on Rangeley Lake.

The boy was paddling on Rangeley Lake when calm conditions suddenly changed, with strong winds whipping up whitecaps and swells between 1 and 2 feet, according to Rangeley Fire Rescue.

A family member began searching the lake in a kayak about 1:54 p.m. after losing sight of the boy, Rangeley Fire Rescue said Wednesday morning.

Fifteen minutes later, the boy was spotted after drifting a mile and a half across the lake toward Oquossoc.

Deputy Fire Chief Stephen Grant threw the boy a life jacket and he was pulled from the water about 2:09 p.m. and brought to a waiting ambulance.

During the trip back to land, the boy was “alert, thankful, tired, and cold,” Rangeley Fire Rescue said in a statement.

The agency warned that conditions can change quickly on Rangeley Lake and that anyone planning to go out on the water should wear a life jacket and keep an eye on the forecast.