Missing person

Coming back from a trip through Europe last Sunday I noticed a van with foreign (Dutch) plates parked in the otherwise deserted bay.
After a couple of days I got curious and looked closer. A relatively new Renault van with tinted windows, containing a made-up bed, bicycle, yellow sailing jacket and smaller items, all very tidy and well organized. On the roof is a luggage rack with a carrier for a kayak.

The Dutch police gave us information about the owner, a 77 years old single man, according to his neighbors an experienced kayak-er who often went away on his own and would surely come back. But I think if he planned a longer trip he would not have left his waterproof cloths and a map of the area in his van. The weather here is presently far from idyllic: rain, thunder and a 10 Beaufort storm.

Yesterday we reported this situation to the local police, but they seemed reluctant to organize a search before the weather improves.

So the question is how long can a 77 years old man survive with whatever he can stow in a kayak?

 

Probably a long time if he took his wallet and decided to stay at a local campsite up the coast until the weather improved.

Heading off without leaving a plan with someone, or a note in the van, etc - is very irresponsible.

Of course there is the callous point of view, at 77 years old, maybe he is past caring if he gets back or not.

 

I havent been watching Adriatic weather.

Presently blowing Jugo not Bora, so has hasnt been swept out to sea. If he is healthy and its been similar weather when he went missing, he is probably hunkered down on the south coast of Istria or on Otok Krik, Cres...perhaps sipping coffee in Osor

http://

http://

 

Presently there is Jugo (SE to S) with rain showers and some thunder. 24 hours ago the wind was NE with gusts up to 80 kt.
If he really arrived last Saturday or Sunday, the weather was fine and he may have gone on a short trip to get an idea of his surroundings, maybe even stepped out for a swim in the still cold sea. There are numerous bays here, many curved and shallow without access from a road or trail, so a search could only be done with an inflatable and would take several days. I know he has a cell phone, but there is no coverage along the coast.

The police left a message on his voice mail but got no response. There is a camp site a few miles south; from there he could have walked back to his van in a few hours. To the north the coast is uninhabited except for a summer house 12 miles away, then the coast becomes an almost vertical cliff 200-400 ft high until the ferry harbor at approx. 32 miles. And there is a barren island with a lighthouse a few miles out, too far to see a single person or kayak from here.

 

With those heavy gale winds he cant survive. Even if the Bora blew him down onto the windward shore he would be shredded on the rocks.

The weather is well forcast these days..no need to set out in bad weather.

Perhaps he is sheltering in one of those small bays. All along those islands are small isolated coves , with primitive fishing shacks. Telephones dont work under the cliffs

Only time will tell.

 

Not necessarily callous as a point of view, at that age he's most likely had a good life, maybe he'll paddle back to the van, go home & have another trip or more. Might be better to go out doing something you love with a few last moments of terror than in a hospital bed being eaten by cancer with pain & prior knowledge.
I've spent a lot of time with my Grandparents, my Pop(93) just had surgery for bowel cancer, his wish is to last just a bit longer than Grandma(92) who has mild dementia, she wants to "peg out" in her sleep one night & not know a thing about it, Pop wants to look after her till then... that's Love. My wish is that theirs are fulfilled.

CDK is showing compassion for his fellow man, that makes him a good bloke. There's some nasty weather there, I hope the Dutchman is well prepared & brings home a great story, the police are doing their job & know the odds either way.
Jeff.

 

While we were looking for him in a nearby bay area where we did find pieces of fiberglass wreckage, the guy collected his car and left a thank you note in our mailbox. It turned out he joined a group of four who made a 6 days adventure trip between this and two neighboring islands with a 29 year old experienced instructor.

I'm glad things turned out well!

 

Glad it was a happy ending. Also glad you took the actions you did - restores some faith in people when there is all too much bad and scary stuff happening.
Brian

 

Yes, a bright smile!
The guy will contact me when he is back home and there will be a diary for this trip.

What triggered me into action was the yellow oilskin and the open map on the passenger seat. I will certainly talk to him about that.