Missing Boat

[bifish99]

I continue to hold out hope until confirmation otherwise.

This was my 9th year fishing out Winter Harbor in my older 22' C-dory Angler. The outside is big water with very few boats, and I can only remember a handful of days on all those trips where it did not blow hard, at least in the late PM, and gale warnings are pretty much the norm there.

After several white-knuckle trips outside the first year, I bought a good life raft, self inflating mustangs which go on/off at the dock, and a GPS-equipped EPRIB that I wear on my mustang. This gear cost dearly, but I'm confident it can save ours lives in the event something goes south.

I do not know what the WA or BC requirements are for safety gear on chartered boats? Seems like an EPIRB should be required, and perhaps a raft?

 

[daddystoy]

Nog, your "source" may be reliable but that was not a good thing to post. You can see the controversy it's stirring up. If it's true that the CCG and RCMP are stalling to notify the next of kin, that would be done to avoid any media searching down the next of kin and shoving a microphone in their face looking for a comment that they had just lost their loved one. Posting a comment here like you did has the potential to do the same thing (in a roundabout way) No offense, Nog, your well respected on here but that is one post that you should have kept to yourself.

 

[GLG]

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Today+crucial+search+fisherman+missing+Island/3371029/story.html


Today crucial in search for fisherman missing off Island

U.S. Coast Guard joins effort to find group of four missing off Island

By Katie DeRosa, Times ColonistAugust 7, 2010 6:57 AM


Kevin Sturgess, 36, a fishing guide for the last 10 years, is one of the four fishermen missing along the west coast of the Island.

Kevin Sturgess, 36, a fishing guide for the last 10 years, is one of the four fishermen missing along the west coast of the Island.
Photograph by: Trisha Sturgess, timescolonist.com

Today is expected to be a crucial day for the rescue team looking for four fishermen missing along the west coast of Vancouver Island since Monday.

The fog that has been frustrating search and rescue crews all week is expected to lift, making it easier to spot the grey, six-metre aluminum boat, which hasn't been seen since it left Qualicum Rivers Fishing Charters and Lodge in Winter Harbour Monday morning.

The U.S. Coast Guard will join the dozens of rescuers today, as the search expands along the waters off Washington.

The four missing men are fishing guide Kevin Sturgess, 36, and three sports fishermen in their 50s -- Peter Idlewine of Brush Prairie, Wash., Gary Evans of Vancouver, Wash., and his brother Tony Evans of Portland, Ore.

There were patches of clear sky amid the dense fog yesterday, according to the Victoria Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre, which finally allowed for a detailed search of the shoreline from the northern tip of the Island, along Brooks Peninsula and south to Bamfield.

"It's going to be increased [today]," said Jeff Olsson, a coast guard marine co-ordinator at the rescue centre.

This is enough to reassure Trisha Sturgess that her brother will be found alive. "We're staying very positive," she said of her family, most of whom live in South Delta where Sturgess grew up.

"We believe if the three fishermen could be with anyone who could get them through this, it's Kevin. If there is anything he could do to bring them home, he'd be doing it."

Trisha Sturgess said while her brother has fished his whole life, he has worked as a fishing guide for the past 10 years out of Vancouver Island and Haida Gwaii. The 36-year-old bachelor lives in Port Alberni during the winters.

She said Sturgess knows the West Coast waters as well as he knows his own home.

Search-and-rescue crews have yet to find any debris from the boat and have not spotted any emergency flares.

The men do not have full survival suits, only lifejackets, and the boat is not equipped with an emergency position indicating radio beacon.

Trisha Sturgess said her family is comforted by all the resources going into the search. That was echoed by Evans's family, who released a statement yesterday.

"We remain extremely optimistic about the situation. With the lack of evidence otherwise, we are keeping the faith that they are on land somewhere around northern Vancouver Island."

kderosa@tc.canwest.com
© Copyright (c) The Victoria Times Colonist

 

[Sushihunter]

Kevin Sturgess, 36, a fishing guide for the last 10 years, is one of the four fishermen missing along the west coast of the Island.
Photograph by: Trisha Sturgess, timescolonist.com


Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Co...ouver+Island/3372712/story.html#ixzz0vwewQy7K


Jim's Fishing Charters
www.JimsFishing.com
http://www.youtube.com/user/Sushihunter250

 

[Anonymous]

I hope everything turns out alright. We all know how thick that fog can be out there, with any luck they will be found soon now that the fog has lifted.

 

[Peahead]

quote:Originally posted by Deewar25

quote:

If the statements made by the Joint Rescue Coordination Center below are a complete lie and totally fabricated as a stall tactic until all the next of kin is notified, then how can one ever have faith in anything the rescue center has to say from now on ?

This was written tonight ...taken from a post above:

"The search for four missing fishermen continued off the north coast of Vancouver Island Friday, despite a heavy fog".

“It is still a very active search,” said Second Lt. Peter Drysdale from the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Victoria.

Well, it's believable in my books. The public doesn't 'need' to know the facts, only the relatives matter here and I'm sure they are told everything exactly as it is so far. Face it, the last thing officials would want is for someone to find out their son, father whatever has died from a media source. They HAVE to be notified first before any media can put out an official word, and if even one of the contacts can't be reached, they DO need to stall.

I would assume nog's info is accurate and those are the facts, as hard as they would be to swallow for any of us that spend time out on the ocean.

Agree with most of what you say about public not needing to know the details or facts but to fabricate a search effort is UNbieevable to me .....I do however totally understand the stalling of details for the puropose of notifying next of kin but I would have thought OSPREY's explanation of how SAR would handle the situation would be more appropriate and more logical to me ( With no fabrication/lie but also no details just yet)
Anyway whats important here is more about this loss and how the families feel - again I feel for all those that are closely involved with those four. Seeing the photo of Kevin makes it closer to home. As Nog says we will find out soon enough. Of course I am just still hoping that Nog got it wrong even though I don't thing Nog is wrong but for once , I sure hope he is....

 

[Charlie]

quote:Originally posted by osprey

Usually when a SAR operation has information that they can't divulge to the general public they will state that they have developing information on the operation and leave it at that. To come out and say it is still a very active search and talk about the chance of more favorable conditions on Saturday would be a total fabrication if Nog is correct. Typically this would not be done.I could be wrong but my cup remains half full on this one.

I have to agree with osprey, until I hear otherwise!

I have flown, preformed, and been in charge of many Search and Rescue missions - in the past. This is not just a Coast Guard Auxiliary Unit volunteering their time and resources. This has escalated to the full resources of CCG, USCG, and military units of both countries. These units DO NOT commit or just launch for the fun of it (or to fabricate anything) – there is a reason these resources are involved! What reason I do not know, but something is there or they would not be committing these funds!

While it surely does not look good – my cup is half FULL!

 

[spring fever]

I was a SAR pilot out of Comox for some years and while I have refrained from sticking in my 2 cents worth I will say that if SAR is still committed and they are still flying then they have either found nothing or at least not enough to wind the search down-they would not expend resources and risk rescue crews lives just for the sake of appearances.

 

[Birdbrain]

Thank you, Charlie, Spring Fever, and any others who risk their lives in dangerous conditions to help others. We are all indebted to your service. There is no higher calling than helping others in need.

With better search conditions now, keep up the hope, people.

 

[TheRock]

This was just posted on the net a little while ago...IroNnoggin info was correct...
http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/Canada/20100807/missing-boat-100807/
The Canadian Press

Date: Saturday Aug. 7, 2010 6:53 PM ET

VICTORIA — A charter boat that's been missing for nearly one week has been found off the B.C. coast but rescue officials say there's no sign of the four men who were on board.

Victoria Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre spokesman Gerry Pash says the six-metre aluminum boat was found Saturday afternoon by a sport fisherman.

Pash says the boat was located about eight nautical miles northwest of Brooks Penisula.

The three fishermen and their guide were last seen Monday in Brooks Bay, shortly after leaving the Qualicum River Fishing Resort, 550 kilometres northwest of Victoria.

Pash says there's no indication of the survivors, but rescue crews are still searching for them.

He says the boat was capsized and anchored when it was found.


This one just posted on the Vancouver Sun. http://www.vancouversun.com/2010sun...d+coast+signs+four+onboard/3373080/story.html


Missing boat found capsized off B.C. coast; no signs of four men onboard

 

[Aces]

quote:Originally posted by TheRock

This was just posted on the net a little while ago...IroNnoggin info was correct...
http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/Canada/20100807/missing-boat-100807/
The Canadian Press

Date: Saturday Aug. 7, 2010 6:53 PM ET

VICTORIA — A charter boat that's been missing for nearly one week has been found off the B.C. coast but rescue officials say there's no sign of the four men who were on board.

Victoria Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre spokesman Gerry Pash says the six-metre aluminum boat was found Saturday afternoon by a sport fisherman.

Pash says the boat was located about eight nautical miles northwest of Brooks Penisula.

The three fishermen and their guide were last seen Monday in Brooks Bay, shortly after leaving the Qualicum River Fishing Resort, 550 kilometres northwest of Victoria.

Pash says there's no indication of the survivors, but rescue crews are still searching for them.

He says the boat was capsized and anchored when it was found.


This one just posted on the Vancouver Sun. http://www.vancouversun.com/2010sun...d+coast+signs+four+onboard/3373080/story.html


Missing boat found capsized off B.C. coast; no signs of four men onboard

Yeah, but the boat was only found this afternoon

 

[King_Cod]

Just watched the story on the news. Hope they are found alive and well on shore.

Reel Chaos

 

[Lipripper]

Would hate to be a downer but 6-8 miles is a LONG swim

 

[phnapa]

A sad day for fishers, some tough times ahead for loved ones. Makes a guy wonder what that BIG fish is really worth.

 

[ritarose]

Does anyone know if where the boat was found was where you would normally be fishing for halibut? thanks

 

[Sushihunter]

I was out last Sunday, off-shore from Esperanza Inlet, and the water temperature was just 55 F. Pretty cold to be swimming any distance.

They say that the boat was anchored - question is, was it anchored before it was capsized? Or, more likely, did the anchor just fall out and anchor the boat after it capsized?

I would feel better if the boat was found near shore rather than 8 miles out.

Jim's Fishing Charters
www.JimsFishing.com
http://www.youtube.com/user/Sushihunter250

 

[Hoghunter]

Very sad for the families for the fishermen and the guide. Kids without a dad and families without a son or husband.

We'll probably never know what truly happened. But it should serve as a reminder to all of us that venture offshore that were just bit players in the grand scheme of things and mother nature will dictate conditions.

No fish is ever worth your life that's my motto and has been for many years. When the wind gets above 20 kts anymore I'm heading for the barn.

 

[walleyes]

A sad day indeed.. may God be with the families and all involved..

This has to raise some questions as to what the guide was doing bringing paid clients out in such conditions.. These people hired the guide/lodge to take them out thinking and trusting them as professionals,, what happened.. when does common sense and money separate ??? I darn well know that if this was one of my family members there would be hell to pay.. One more reason why I only take out my own boat and trust only myself.. There are questions that need to be adressed here..

 

[Lipripper]

Wasnt gunna say it first Walleyes...... wether it was anchored or not when she rolled.... still.

I dont think the media was out right truthfull on this one for whatever reason. And I dont think those guys are missing.. maybe buying time[?]

Sad day..... The mistress can take any of us no matter how experienced. Shes like a rattler in the grass.... think that respect trumps experience.

Sorry for the families involved [V]

 

[Lipripper]

quote:Originally posted by ritarose

Does anyone know if where the boat was found was where you would normally be fishing for halibut? thanks

Tough to say, you can catch halibut off your local dock.... they go everywhere and anywhere. The odds are just higher at some places