Searchers have found the paddling equipment of a man who went missing Tuesday while paddleboarding on Graham Lake in Ellsworth, but after four days of looking, the 20-year old is still considered missing, according to a state official.
Authorities from multiple agencies were dispatched to Graham Lake around midday on May 5 for a paddleboarder who had gone missing after leaving his family camp about an hour and a half earlier.
The search is primarily focused on the large cove on the western side of Graham Lake, north of Jesses Beach Way, according to Mark Latti, a spokesperson for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.
The man reportedly left from that area, and his paddleboard and paddle were later found north of there on the inland islands, Latti added.
Authorities plan to resume searching Saturday, Latti said.
The man is believed to have not been using a personal flotation device, according to a statement issued by the department.
As of Friday morning, officials were using boats with sonar equipment, an onsite dive team and a plane to search for the man, according to Latti.
Ellsworth fire and police first responded to the scene and were later joined by the Maine Warden Service, Maine Forest service, Marine Patrol and state police.
Tuesday’s temperature hovered around 48.5 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the National Weather Service.
Latti confirmed the conditions were windy that day but said he did not have specific details on the weather on the lake at the time.
“Water temps on inland waters right now are in the 40s, and even lower as you head north,” Latti said. “In water temperatures that cold, you lose muscle control and your ability to swim within minutes. A PFD gives you your best chance of survival.”
The U.S. Coast Guard classifies paddleboards as vessels that are subject to Maine’s recreational watercraft laws. Paddleboarders are required to use a personal flotation device, carry a sound-producing device — like a whistle — and have some sort of light when paddling between sunset and sunrise.
“You should also tell someone where you are going and when you expect to be back, so in case something happens, someone can let emergency personnel know where you are,” Latti said.
The paddleboarder was not the only person who ran into trouble Tuesday after going out on the water. That same day, about an hour southeast of Graham Lake, the body of a kayaker who had gone missing earlier that morning was found in the water near Deer Isle Bridge.