Jim Snyder Posted September 1, 2020 Share Posted September 1, 2020 https://www.seacoastonline.com/news/20200831/search-on-for-missing-portsmouth-kayaker PORTSMOUTH - A search by multiple agencies is being conducted by land, sea and air for a Maplewood Avenue man whose unoccupied kayak was found Sunday off Maine’s Wood Island. A spokesperson for the U. S. Coast Guard said the kayak was reported as found in the water on Sunday at 2:43 p.m. by a recreational boater in the area. The missing man was identified as Don Vardell Jr., age 53. A search was conducted overnight by the Coast Guard and Marine Patrol units from both Maine and New Hampshire, the spokesperson said. The Coast Guard suspended its search Monday, but the Marine Patrol units continued the search with Kittery, Maine police and the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department. Search efforts will continue until dark, then resume Tuesday if necessary, according to Maine Marine Patrol. Oversight of the investigation is being handled by the Portsmouth Police Department. Police Capt. Darrin Sargent said his department is overseeing what is now considered a missing person case. Vardell was last seen Sunday at about 2 p.m. kayaking away from Esther’s Marina, in the area between Round Island and the New Castle causeway, in Portsmouth’s back channel. Sargent said the Portsmouth Police drone unit was deployed to conduct a search of area waterways for Vardell from the air. Vardell’s kayak is a yellow Wilderness System 165 Tsunami and anyone who saw him paddling Sunday, or has information about his whereabouts, is urged to call Portsmouth police at (603)427-1500. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joseph Berkovitz Posted September 1, 2020 Share Posted September 1, 2020 Max ebb + 20 kt offshore wind... I hope they find him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Snyder Posted September 1, 2020 Author Share Posted September 1, 2020 Found dead three miles offshore. https://www.seacoastonline.com/news/20200901/portsmouth-kayaker-found-deceased-off-maine PORTSMOUTH — A Portsmouth kayaker missing since Sunday was found deceased Tuesday off the coast of Maine, said local police. In a press release, Maine Marine Patrol said Donald Vardell Jr., 53, was found by a fisherman at approximately 10:30 a.m., three miles east of Ogunquit and approximately 12 miles from his kayak. His body was recovered and taken to a local funeral home, according to Maine Marine Patrol. Portsmouth police Capt. Darrin Sargent said local officers had drones in the air searching for Vardell for a second day on Tuesday. Vardell’s unoccupied kayak was found Sunday off Wood Island in Kittery, Maine, at the mouth of the Piscataqua River. Assisting with the search were the U.S. Coast Guard, Portsmouth Police Department, the Kittery harbormaster, Kittery Police Department, New Hampshire Fish and Game, and the New Hampshire Marine Patrol. An investigation into the circumstances of Vardell’s death will be conducted by the Portsmouth Police Department, it was announced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Sylvester Posted September 2, 2020 Share Posted September 2, 2020 (edited) It was pretty wild in the river on Sunday. Two of us played the flood from Portsmouth to Dover. The wind was making races and standing waves. It is always confused as the winds work over the different flows as we know. Back at Goat by 2 ish we saw very few out and some walking their kayaks along the shore due to wind. There can be quite a race of standing waves around Wood if the wind picks it up and I have been in 7' standing waves in the mouth. Joe is right about conditions at Wood at that time. If the wind did not get him he could have gotten into an ebb eddy and been in some 2-4' waves real quick. I wonder why his kayak didn't blow out also? Too bad but they seem to lose one a year in Portsmouth. Cheap rentals and total beginners are common. Edited September 2, 2020 by Paul Sylvester add Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prudenceb Posted September 2, 2020 Share Posted September 2, 2020 That is so so sad...and scary...and sobering. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rfolster Posted September 2, 2020 Share Posted September 2, 2020 On 9/1/2020 at 7:43 AM, Jim Snyder said: Vardell was last seen Sunday at about 2 p.m. kayaking away from Esther’s Marina, in the area between Round Island and the New Castle causeway, in Portsmouth’s back channel. The whole area inside of Pierce Island and New Castle is very protected from the Piscataqua and well suited for many recreational boaters, as long as they keep their distance from the river. This is one of the first places Cathy and I went when we started kayaking (actually rented here a couple of times) and it is where we got interested in ocean kayaking. It is entirely possible that something happened in these “calmer” waters (still challenging in high winds) and the empty kayak was taken by wind and tide to Wood Island where it was found. it is a sad and unfortunate outcome, and my heart goes out to his family and friends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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