Two kayakers plucked from chilly waters in outer harbor

By Stewart Bishop, Globe Correspondent

Two kayakers were rescued by the Coast Guard yesterday in outer Boston Harbor after their kayaks overturned and left them clinging to a buoy in the frigid water for around an hour.

The two were found near Boston Light, on Little Brewster Island, around 3:45 p.m. after the pair used a cellphone to call 911.

The unidentified kayakers, who were wearing life jackets and dry suits, showed signs of hypothermia when rescuers arrived. They were subsequently transported to Pemberton Pier, and paramedics took them to South Shore Hospital in Weymouth.

The water temperature yesterday was about 52 degrees Fahrenheit, with winds of 12 miles per hour, and seas of about 3 feet.

"This is a prime example of how wearing a life jacket and foul-weather gear, such as a dry suit, can help protect you against the elements and ultimately save your life," said Lieutenant John Kousch, chief of the Coast Guard's Sector Boston command center.