An Augusta man died after his kayak overturned sometime after he left early on the morning of Friday, August 4, from Lubec, headed the approximately seven miles across open ocean to Grand Manan Island. His overturned kayak was spotted two days later, on Sunday morning, off Liberty Point, Campobello, and the body of Martin Spahn, 57, was found the following day, about a mile and a half away off Raccoon Point, Campobello. Spahn's death has raised questions about what may have happened and why the search to find him did not begin sooner.
      The U.S. Coast Guard received a report on Sunday, August 6, at 9:35 a.m. from a boater of an overturned kayak in the vicinity of Liberty Point at the southeastern tip of Campobello in Canadian waters, and both the Canadian and U.S. Coast Guard initiated a joint search.
      Because of the kayak's location, Rescue Coordination Center (RCC) Halifax had initially assumed search and rescue mission coordinator duties for the case and launched four vessels and one helicopter to search the area. Crews located the overturned kayak and found numerous personal effects inside, including a U.S. passport and driver's license belonging to Spahn, as well as a cell phone, car keys, camping/fishing equipment and charts of the local area. All indications pointed to a scenario in which Spahn had capsized.
      Working in close coordination with RCC Halifax, the U.S. Coast Guard also launched a 29 foot response boat from Station Eastport and directed the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Maurice Jester to proceed to the area and commence searching. An HC 144 fixed-wing aircraft was also launched from Air Station Cape Cod to assist in the search. Two Maine Marine Patrol boats and an aircraft joined the search, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection also launched an aircraft and dispatched a boat to assist.
      Spahn's body was located at approximately 9:30 a.m. the next day off Raccoon Point, near the southern end of Herring Cove. He was found wearing his life jacket.
      "Our thoughts go out to the family of Mr. Spahn," says Captain Amy Florentino, sector commander of Sector Northern New England. "We are grateful for the amazing teamwork of our Canadian partners as well as Maine Marine Patrol and U.S. Customs and Border Protection for all the help in locating Mr. Spahn and bringing closure to this difficult case.”

May have overturned early in trip
      Ryan Koroknay, incident management division chief for Coast Guard Sector Northern New England, says it took time to find Spahn's body because of the large search area and the uncertainty over where he might be. Concerning Spahn's preparedness for the trip, Koroknay says he can't say, except that he appeared to be experienced, noting, "He was prepared to do fishing and camping and had maps and charts of the area." As for weather conditions, he says that the wind on Sunday afternoon off Campobello was blowing 10 to 15 knots with two- to three-foot seas, and the water temperature was 550 F.
      Before he set off on his kayak trip to Grand Manan, Spahn had stayed at West Quoddy Station on West Quoddy Head, Lubec, and owner Bill Clark says Spahn left his vehicle there, stating he wanted to leave it for nine days. Clark believes that Spahn started kayaking from Lubec about 6 a.m. on Friday, August 4.
      Clark notes that the currents and rips in and around the Lubec Channel were very strong, with a full-moon tide, and he says, "I think he overturned soon after departure."
      It's about a mile and a half from West Quoddy Station to Liberty Point, but it's not clear how far the kayak may have drifted from when it overturned until it was located. Reports on social media indicated that the overturned kayak may have been seen Friday afternoon by people on the Grand Manan ferry off Whale Cove, Grand Manan, but apparently authorities may not have been contacted about the sighting.
      "I tried to tell him I didn't think he should go, but I didn't succeed," says Clark. While he doesn't know Spahn's experience level, he says Spahn told him he had previously kayaked out to Matinicus Island, which is about 20 miles off the Maine coast, but "I told him that's not like going across the Grand Manan Channel in a chop." He tried to impress on Spahn that he would be paddling across the tide to get to Grand Manan, and he says Spahn did not seem to know where he would land on the island. "It was not a good plan, in my opinion."
      Clark says that Spahn may not have been aware of the strong currents in the area, but "he was determined to go." He also believes that Spahn should have had a wet suit because of the cold water temperatures. He adds, "The number one thing is I thought it was not prudent, since he was by himself and was an older man."
      Clark says Spahn was supposed to call him on Friday but didn't do so. "I called him, and he never returned the call," he says, adding that he called the Eastport Coast Guard Station Friday morning to say that he was concerned about Spahn.
      When making a kayak trip, Koroknay stresses the importance of filing a float plan with a family member or trusted friend, so that if someone is reported overdue the Coast Guard can develop a search area in a more timely manner. He also points to the importance of having all of the necessary safety equipment and flotation devices, along with monitoring the weather conditions and water temperature, and kayaking within one's skill level. In addition, he notes that the area has strong currents.
      Koroknay also asks that mariners expeditiously report any unmanned vessels that are adrift, so that a search can quickly begin.