JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. -- A missing kayaker was found safe early Sunday morning, after swimming miles back to the shores of Jacksonville Beach.

The Coast Guard said two men, both lifeguards, were about 3 to 5 miles off the coast of the beach when they began to have problems with their kayak.

One of the lifeguards was able to swim back to shore, while the other remained missing in the water.

The man who returned to the beach told authorities he and a friend had entered the water in a kayak at about 3:30 p.m., at 30th Avenue South to retrieve a kite boat that was spotted in the water. However, once they reached the kite boat and secured it to the kayak, the waves and water current forced the them further out to sea.

Search and rescue units from the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Air Unit, Coast Guard and the lifeguard stations were dispatched to search for the missing lifeguard.

The Coast Guard located the kayak and the kite boat abandoned several miles out at sea shortly after midnight.

They said at about 1:25 a.m., the missing kayaker, who was later identified as 32-year-old Glen Zhamirowski, walked out of the water just south of 16th Avenue South.

Zhamirowski was taken to Shands-Jacksonville Medical Center via air ambulance.

Authorities said they estimated that the he had to swim approximately 3 to 4 miles to reach the shore.