ALLEGAN, Michigan – More kayakers had to be rescued from the Kalamazoo River than last year, according to the Allegan County Sheriff’s Office.

“This year, we’ve seen an increase in the number of kayakers over the last few months who were either having trouble or simply unfamiliar with the area,” said Marine Administrator Todd Wagner.

What is normally a spring problem has now turned into summer.

“I think the rain certainly kept the water levels at a certain level and at a certain rate,” he said. However, Mother Nature is not the only culprit. “The biggest issue we’re finding is that kayakers may not be very familiar to begin with or this may be their first time kayaking the Kalamazoo River.”

Other problems include people not wearing life jackets and not knowing how to navigate difficult areas with tight turns.

Depending on where kayakers get stuck, it’s difficult for rescue crews to get there. “It’s a very natural resource; there aren’t many state Department of Natural Resources boat launches,” he told FOX 17.

While some people dread the thought of tipping over in the river, for Mack Turner it’s just another weekend. “If you go out on the river and you don’t expect to tip over, then … you don’t know enough about the sport to go out there,” he said.

As an avid kayaker, he’s used to it and prepares for it. “There will be times when you go out after a storm and there are trees down that weren’t there before,” he said. “I always carry a handsaw and an axe when we go out on the river.”

Wagner and Turner advise anyone unfamiliar with the river to wear life jackets and check the weather before going out on the water.

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