A 72-year-old Birmingham, Ala., man died last week while kayaking in the Gulf of Mexico at Navarre Beach

A press released issued today by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission - yet another reminder why you should always wear your life jacket when on the water -



Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) investigators said Lloyd Cecil Colgate ventured out into the Gulf on a borrowed kayak June 10 around 4 p.m. behind Emerald Surf Condominiums. Witnesses reported that Colgate fell off the kayak and began struggling.

Bystanders rushed to help him, but he was unresponsive when pulled from the Gulf. A nurse who was present performed CPR until emergency medical services personnel arrived. An ambulance took Colgate to Gulf Breeze Baptist Hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead.

He and his wife reportedly owned a condominium near where the accident occurred.

Colgate was not wearing a life jacket.

There have been 32 confirmed fatal boating accidents so far this year in Florida. In 2008, there were 26 at this point.

With more than 1 million registered vessels in Florida and countless others brought to the state by tourists, FWC staff say the No. 1 thing boaters should do to avoid fatal boating mishaps is to wear a life jacket any time their vessel is moving.