It is with a heavy heart that I make this post. Yesterday, Sunday, November 3rd, A man that I knew fell into the Albemarle Sound off of a 39' boat. It was a commercial boat and I'm still not sure how He fell in. An older couple traveling on the Sound bridge saw him struggling while hanging on the side of the boat. At some point, He slipped in the water and drowned. I don't know if he had a heart attack due to the 54 to 60 degree water or what. He was in good shape. He kicked off his boots so he could swim because they found the boots yesterday. HE WAS NOT WEARING A PFD and was on the boat alone with his dog. The dog disappeared too from what I understand. A search went on yesterday until dark. Coast guard boats, helicopter, 2 game warden boats, a Chowan county sherriff's dept boat, His best friend using his own Piper Cub airplane, and many Anglers joined in in the search.
The Search restarted this morning with a special unit from the coast guard with advanced side imaging and several more scuba divers than the day before. They recovered his body around noon today. His name was Dwight McKinney (I think I am spelling his last name right). He has a very nice Wife and 3 young children with the oldest being 12 or 13 years old. The youngest is still too young to understand. He was in the hunting club that hunts most of the land I farm. He was not a close friend of mine but I knew him and talked to him regularly. I know enough about him that I can say that He was a very good man and a good father. He ran a forestry contracting business and in the winter, ran his oyster boat.
I feel so sorry for his wife, family and close friends. This was a total shock. Rough water kept me from using my boat for the search. I wish I could have helped. The winds have been too strong for the last couple days for me to go out in the sound. But it is over and at least the hell this family went through in the search period is over and now they have closure. Now the long grieving period has begun. I hope he had some life insurance but don't know. Its none of my business but for the nice living he and his wife had put together for their family, I hope he had something to help see them through something like this.
I hope everyone who reads this will send up a prayer for the family of this good man. They are surrounded by love but need all the prayers and support they can get in this dark time.
Please take the time to put on a PFD while running Your boat. The boat was not in gear when He fell in. It can happen so easily. One minute You are here and the next You are gone forever and a PFD can make all the difference.
Rest in Peace Dwight.CF
