Sylacauga head football coach found alive after going missing in the Gulf

WALTON COUNTY, Fla. (WALA) -- Chris Smelley, the head football coach of Sylacauga High School, was located by the U.S. Coast Guard after he went missing while kayaking in the Gulf of Mexico off Grayton Beach.

We hear from Coach Chris Smelley and a member of the Sector Mobile Coast Guard who was instrumental in getting the search plan off the ground and on the water.

According to the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, the 37-year-old coach was found without injury still in his kayak. Strong winds pushed Smelley miles out of Grayton Beach, where he had gone kayaking around 8:30 a.m.

Nearly 12 hours later, a Coast Guard helicopter detected him using a thermal camera, and because it was getting darker, they said that helped locate him. Officials said Smelley was waving and shouting with all his might.

The Coast Guard communicated with a boat from the Harbor Docks restaurant in Destin, and that captain went to pick him up.

Immediately, WCSO said, Smelley Facetimed his family, who investigators said had been waiting on Grayton Beach all day for his safe return.

According to officials, Smelley did not have a phone, life jacket, or distress device in his possession.

Chris Smelley's kayak — Chris Smelley's kayak(WCSO)

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