M Owner Disappears In Delaware River

[NiceAft]

Xiang “Billy” He has disappeared on the Delaware River. Apparently he moors his M off shore and uses a kayake to get too and from the moored boat. I don't know if he is a member of this board.

Ray

[kmclemore]

My gosh... no, I don' t know if he's a member here, but certainly prayers go out for his safe return to us all.

[Catigale]

Is there a missing persons out or is he just incognito? I do hope he is ok....

[NiceAft]

It appears that they are not taking anything for granted.
http://m.phillyburbs.com/00redesign/new ... ate=dialog

Ray

[NiceAft]

Here is the latest report.
http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/loc ... 13501.html

Ray

[Spector]

Thoughts and prayers for his family

[Russ]

Wow. Prayers for his safety and those involved around him.

[Judy B]

The found his kayak downstream on the river. He's presumed to have drowned. Very sad story.

http://bensalem.patch.com/groups/police ... ware-river

[NiceAft]

Not just down river, but on the opposite shore. As many years as I have sailed that area, the swift current tends to keep flotsam in the middle of the flow. I was surprised when I read that the kayak was discovered in Delanco, NJ.

[kmclemore]

Yeah, it's almost like you'd have to row it there on purpose... I wonder if this is an abduction or something? Very odd.

[BlindGoofy]

O’er the glad waters of the dark blue sea,
Our thoughts as boundless, and our souls as free,
Far as the breeze can bear, the billows foam,
Survey our empire, and behold our home!

- Lord Byron

Our thoughts and prayers, as well.

[RobertB]

I would suggest an unloaded kayak would be much more influenced by wind than with current - based on personal experience.

[NiceAft]

Not being a kayaker I will take your word for that. Seeing that the winds at that point on the Delaware generally come from down river, the kayak would have gone up river. I am going to see if the point of mooring is below or above Delanco. The leeward side is definitely NJ.

Ray

P.S. Delanco is diametrically across the river from Mr. He's boat. The wind definitely could have blown the kayak there.

[HighLife]

Very sad.
Harrowing.

I have a couple insights to respectfully offer. (My slip just a couple hundred feet away.)

There are just a handful of boats moored at that location, which is close to shore. These are accessed, by dinghy, from a small dock exclusive to that little community.

The anchorage is behind a tiny marshy island, known as Mud Island, which is almost entirely submerged at high tide. (It's the highest portion of a long, mostly mud shoal -- 'Mud Island Shoal' -- which parallels the PA riverbank.)

The river is tidal, with a strong current (close to 2 knots at peak current) that switches direction with the tide changes. (i.e.-- The Delaware flows north for six hours, then south for six hours, etc.). The river depth varies as well with the tide in this area, with the difference in depth between high and low tides being 6 to 7 feet.

The protection offered by this shoal is minimal, and we experience strong (sometimes quite violent) wakes along the Delaware, owing to all sorts of river traffic passing in the channel -- including everything from cigarette boats to huge tug boats, to freighters drawing 40'.

At the time Mr. He presumably was out there (last Tue. afternoon) the current was coming in (northbound), and the wind was blowing from west to east (i.e.- towards the NJ side.)

My final insight is more personal: I spoke with that gentleman once. Very briefly, in the spring, when I steered over there on the way out one afternoon, to ask him how he was enjoying 'Mac life.' (There are few Macs on the water around here, and having read a bit about them online, it had caught my interest that one had taken residence right above our inlet.)

He told me, 'So far, so good,' explaining that he had just bought the vessel two weeks prior; I wished him good luck.

He struck me as a nice and polite fellow.

Recently, I'd seen him beached at a popular picnic spot across the river (Hawk Island), preparing to shove off, with his young (pre-school aged?) son 'helping' him with the boat.

A touching scene, the memory of which haunted me when I learned that the authorities searching the river Wed. afternoon (including inside my home-port) were looking for him.

Very, very sad.

And, a cautionary tale to us all as well.
In our most ordinary of activities on the water, one freak mishap can turn 'living the dream' into tragedy and grief.

[NiceAft]

Welcome to the forum unknown board member.

I'm sorry your first posting was on such a sad topic, but please keep us informed on any information as to the end of this sad event.

Ray

P. S. Go to the “user control panel”, and then to “profile” to fill in information about yourself, and your boat.