Beaufort woman gets stuck in mud

A Beaufort woman who was walking her kayak out into the Beaufort River at about 3:45 p.m. Sunday became stuck in the pluff mud and could not get out, according to Beaufort Fire Department officials.

The kayaker, a woman in her 50s who is a resident of Rising Tide apartments off of Rising Tide Drive, was stuck in mud up to her waist about 150 feet off-shore when she called 911 from her cell phone at 4:45 p.m., Beaufort Fire Lt. Dan Byrne said.

The woman had been struggling to free herself for about an hour before she called for help. She was"exhausted," but not injured when Beaufort and Port Royal fire crews reached her, he said.

"They formed a bridge over the mud with three ladders to reach her," Byrne said. "She must have underestimated the mud."