by San Juan County Sheriff Eric Peter
With a heavy heart, I give this update on the tragic events that have transpired over the past 24 hrs.
On April 22 around 3 p.m., the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office received a call regarding a body floating in the water against the rocks in Grandma’s Cove on the southwest side of San Juan Island. Deputies responded on land to the location and spotted the body in the water. The Sheriff’s boat was launched and the deceased body of one male was recovered from the water and turned over to the Coroner’s Office.
On April 23, around 6:30 a.m., the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office received a call regarding a body floating in the water in “Middle Channel” south of Cattle Point at the southernmost point of San Juan Island and west of Iceberg Point, which is west of the southern point of Lopez Island. The Sheriff’s boat was launched and the deceased body of one male was recovered from the water and turned over to the Coroner’s Office.
The identities of the persons recovered have yet to be determined. Out of respect for the families, the Sheriff’s Office will not speculate whether these are the missing Canadian kayakers.
These have been a very sad two days, and on behalf of all of us at the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office, our deepest condolences go out to the families of these two men.
Missing kayakers from Canada
Two kayakers, Daniel MacAlpine, age 36, and Nicolas West, age 26, were last known to be kayaking from D’Arcy Island to Island View each at 2:15 p.m. on April 20, according to an alert by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Their kayak, described as a teal blue fiberglass, two-person vessel was discovered off the southwest corner of Henry Island, approximately three miles from D’Arcy.
The San Juan County Sheriff’s Office was contacted by the Canadian Coast Guard early April 21, according to a press release by the Sheriff’s Office, notifying them that the Canadian Coast Guard was conducting a search for two missing Canadian kayakers.
The press release added that around 11:30 a.m. the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office was informed that the Canadian Coast Guard had located the kayak on the southwest corner of Henry Island but had not yet located the kayakers. The Coast Guard asked if it would be possible for the Sheriff’s Office to assist by sending a boat out to Henry Island area to help with the search.
The Sheriff’s Office sent a Sergeant and two deputies on their boat, along with a drone to search the area requested.
At 8 p.m. April 21, the Sheriff’s Office updated their statement, saying “Personnel from the San Juan County Sheriff’s office, used the sheriff’s boat and drone to search the areas along the west side of Henry island around to the southside in open bay where the kayak was recovered.” The drone was deployed and searched around Stuart Island, the statement continued and searched around Speiden Island as well but were unable to locate any signs of the missing kayakers.
“Canadian authorities were contacted and updated with the results of our efforts to search for the missing kayakers. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the kayakers and their families, and are hopeful that they are located and found,” Sheriff Eric Peter said.
