Search for Missing Kayaker Comes Up Empty
DULUTH, Minn. - A search for a Milwaukee kayaker who went missing while paddling along the north shore of Lake Superior in Minnesota came up empty on Sunday.
A dispatcher for the Lake County sheriff's office says the search for 48-year-old Douglas Winter was over before 4 p.m.
On Saturday morning, authorities believe they found Winter's life jacket on the lake shore near Split Rock Lighthouse.
The faded orange life jacket contained a prescription pill bottle in one of the pockets that was tied to Winter, who has been missing since Tuesday.
The life jacket was found about five miles southwest of Cove Point Lodge in Beaver Bay, the resort where Winter stayed Sunday and Monday nights.
Winter's kayak was found Tuesday afternoon a few miles further southwest of the lighthouse.
Winter is a Milwaukee Public School teacher, though neighbors tell us he had recently quit his job.
"He's a very decent guy and I suspect he was a very good teacher the way he talked about his grade students," friend and fellow kayaker Richard Silberman said.
Winter was also an experienced kayaker and Silberman said it isn't unusual that winter was kayaking on his own.
"He did at times go off by himself take on some long paddles across open water maybe not the best judgment but he has done that before in Door County," Silberman said
"We pride ourselves on safety," Silberman explained. "Doug always wore his life preserver."
The sheriff's department said Winter was last heard from about 8:40 p.m. Monday when he called a friend to say he was about 2 miles from shore, could not see land and the waves were getting large.
(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
Next Article in Local: The Freak Speaks: Andrew Bogut injury update
0 COMMENTS
ADD A COMMENT