Missing canoeists found dead in California’s Tomales Bay
The pair reportedly embarked on the late-night trip to see bioluminescence.
Heavy rain caused severe flash flooding to drench Utah’s Zion National Park, leaving behind mud, rocks and debris in the area. Floodwaters poured from this cliff and into the roadway.
Two canoeists were found dead after going missing over the weekend in Marin County, California.
The individuals left a campsite on Tomales Bay in a canoe just before midnight on Saturday, Aug. 29, according to the Marin County Sheriff’s Office. At around 10:45 a.m. PDT on Sunday, a search and rescue operation took place after members of their camping party noticed the pair did not return the next morning.
The United States Coast Guard (USCG) rescued the first individual, who was found unresponsive in the water. They were transported to Bodega Bay in Sonoma County, where they were later pronounced dead by emergency personnel.
A second individual was found unresponsive shortly after near Hog Island. They were declared dead after being recovered by the National Park Service (NPS) and transported to Sacramento Landing.
Both individuals reportedly went on the trip to view bioluminescence, a phenomenon caused by a chemical reaction within single-celled organisms, and planned to camp at White Gulch Beach, according to the NPS, USCG and Marin County Fire. They were wearing life vests when they were found.
File photo: Hog Island is seen from Tom's Point in Tomales Bay, Calif., on Thursday, Aug. 29, 2019. (Photo by Yalonda M. James/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)
The Coroner Division identified the second individual as Casey Flynn Melia, 36, of San Francisco. The identity of the first person has not been released.
“The Marin County Sheriff’s Office and the staff of the Coroner Division extend their heartfelt condolences to the family, friends and loved ones of Mr. Melia during this painful time,” the Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.
This incident is an active investigation as the Sheriff’s Office, USCG and NPS work together to finalize their findings. Additional testing will then take place to determine the official cause and manner of death.
File photo: Kayakers paddle out from Tomales Bay State Park, in Marin County, Calif., on Saturday, July 21, 2012. (Photo by Michael Macor/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)
Another boating incident occurred in March of this year. Two individuals and a dog were rescued near Mendoza Beach in Tomales Bay after their kayak capsized, according to Marin County Fire. One of the kayakers survived hypothermia symptoms, but the other was declared dead following transportation to a local hospital.
Tomales Bay is a 15-mile-long, 6,780-acre tidal water body and is the most popular kayaking area at Point Reyes National Seashore, according to the NPS. Temperatures in the bay can be as low as 50 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter and rarely reach 68 in the summer and early fall. Waters below 70 are considered “cold” and can lead to symptoms of hypothermia, including slurred speech, shivering and stumbling.
Park officials urge boaters to wear a wetsuit and a flotation device, pack essential equipment, monitor the forecast, and inform another person of their plans. Visitors of Tomales Bay should also check the tide charts, as changes in tides can create strong currents.
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