In a tragic development, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) confirmed on Wednesday that two kayakers, reported missing from Vancouver Island, have been discovered deceased in Washington state. The San Juan County Sheriff’s Office announced on Tuesday that they had recovered two bodies from the waters off San Juan Island. This discovery follows a three-day search initiated after the kayakers were last seen off the coast of Sidney, B.C., approximately 25 kilometers north of Victoria.
The missing individuals, Daniel MacAlpine, 36, and Nicolas West, 26, were reported missing on Saturday afternoon while kayaking from D’Arcy Island to Island View Beach, just south of Sidney. It is not known if the two Canadians were intending on kayaking in the San Juan Islands; however, it was later determined that they were kayaking in Washington, as there kayak was found on Henry Island which is one of the closest American islands to the Canadian Border.
Sidney/North Saanich RCMP confirmed on Wednesday that Washington state authorities positively identified the deceased as MacAlpine and West. Staff Sgt. Wayne Conley expressed gratitude to all agencies involved in the search and recovery efforts, offering condolences to the families affected by the tragedy.
According to San Juan County Sheriff Eric Peter, the first body was discovered on Monday around 3 p.m. PT, found floating against the rocks in Grandma’s Cove on the south side of San Juan Island. The second body was located on Tuesday around 6:30 a.m. PT, in Middle Channel to the south of the island. Both individuals were wearing life jackets at the time of recovery.
The bodies were transferred to the San Juan County Coroner’s Office, which later provided positive identification to the RCMP, concluding this devastating ordeal.
Here at Sea Quest Kayak Tours we feel deeply for the families of the victims. This story is an important reminder to make sure to take caution while kayaking in the San Juan Islands. Paddling high quality sea kayaks and kayaking with a kayak guide are great way to make exploring the Seattle area in a kayak safe and enjoyable.
