Tito Found but Dead

[Kayaker in Kanada]

I don't know what else to say other then I considered him a friend. Kayaker found dead in Lake Ontario

Nov 28, 2007 11:16 AM
Tamsyn Burgmann
Staff Reporter

A kayaker who went missing on Lake Ontario yesterday amid snow squalls and high winds was found dead this morning along the Niagara shoreline.

The Brantford man, 45, was still in his kayak when his body was discovered around 9 a.m. near Grimsby, said Hamilton police Acting Staff Sgt. Chris Wills.

Concerned individuals in Fifty Point Park first called police around 3 p.m. Tuesday when the man left shore despite treacherous weather. He was wearing a wetsuit.

A search team, including members of the Canadian Coast Guard and the Hamilton and Niagara police marine units, set off in winds gusting up to 90 km/h and waves three to five metres high, but had no success last night.

“We had to pull our boat back because it was starting to ice up,” Wills said, adding a helicopter from Canadian Forces Base Trenton searched until the early hours of the morning.

Police haven’t yet released the man’s name.

[CavassoCruiser]

That really sucks; thanks for the news but that really really sucks.

[Mythman]

His family and loved ones now in my prayers!

[gerald]

Damn...I hate to hear that. I'm near speechless...

[Gutter Girl]

What sad news. My prayers go out to his family. I loved reading his posts. Guess he's on the ultimate adventure now.

RIP Titowoody...

[bowgarguide]

family and friends have my thoughts and prayers
Mother nature is tough sometimes
Ron

[Kayaker in Kanada]

When the time is right, I'll forward any messages of condolences to his wife or provide you with her mailing address.

I haven't been active on the lists in the last few months and I know Tito (Serge) was hard core. Can you cross post this to any lists you're aware of that he was fairly active on.

john

[blesker]

Bloody hell - this news couldn't have been worse.

We'd spoken many times - he was truly interested in promoting kayak fishing in Canada, and when I was with Malibu we'd explored a number of ways he thought we could do exactly that.

What a horrible loss to our community.

man - what a gut punch

Ken - "b"

[Vlaude]

I don't know what to say other than very sad news... I always enjoyed reading posts from up north. Kayaking up there is just awesome, he will be missed. My prayers and thoughts go out to his family...

[Electric Water Boy]

This just put a big dent in my day. Argh. Really enjoyed reading from our Hoser TKFer. I'm sure there are about 10,000+ people on here who feel the same way.

[Night Wing]

Sad, very sad. Since he was found in his yak, I wonder if hypothermia got him?

[Fla-Fish]

Tito aka Serge LaPointe was a great friend and will be missed
more than I can express right now.

He was a big kid with a new toy - kayaks

These are some video clips he did recently on re-entry.

http://s74.photobucket.com/albums/i244/ ... R22013.flv

http://s74.photobucket.com/albums/i244/ ... R22021.flv

RIP buddy I will have a Steamwhistle or 6 in your honor.
I will try calling his wife and express condolences and prayers
from the TKF family and a lot of us that considered him a true friend.













Tito's 1st kayak and ventures into the Dark Side







You will be missed Buddy

[Strider]

What a terrible tragedy We always hoped Tito could make it down to Texas so we could meet him face to face. He will truly be missed on this site.

Kim

[Fla-Fish]

Sad, very sad. Since he was found in his yak, I wonder if hypothermia got him?

I doubt it Joe. He was crazy enough to go out in that weather
but smart enough to be extremely prepared.
Survival dry suit (he was a rep for Kokatat) and VHF radio
GPS and every piece of survival gear possible.

He was "The West Marine" of Canada.

Kim I think Tito made us all look like wimps when it came to
fishing in cold weather.

I can just hear him now

" It's not that bad at least the water is not frozen solid.
I can get one more trip in before Hard Water"

He went out doing what he loved.
Some comfort but not much.

[corkpopper]

Sounds like he was a hard core addict. May he rest in peace.

[Skwid]

My sincere condolences. I hope his loved ones take some solace in the fact that he went out doing what he loved.

R.I.P.

[greyloon]

Had a long telephone conversation with Tito a few weeks ago. He was recovering from an auto accident. He was an interesting cuss. I'll miss him. He always brought life and levity to the TKF board.

[Night Wing]

Steve,

If hypothermia didn't get him, if I was his wife, I'd want to know what did. Since he was properly outfitted and prepared for extremely bad weather and water conditions, I would suspect a medical cause.....heart attack or something else. Wonder if his wife will consent to an autopsy?

[fishnv]

R.I.P. May your soul glide on calm waters and the fish be big fat & hungery.

[Otter4044]

I'm just a lurker, but I always looked forward to his posts and pics. I always pictured him the crocodile hunter of kayak fishing. I'll be praying for his family.

[Strider]

Man, when you look at the weather/sea conditions at the time of launch it makes you wonder what was going thru his mind when he decided to paddle in that stuff. He must have done it before successfully, maybe even in worse conditions. The best wave height prediction that day was 6', and the worst was 3-5 times that . It was a wind sea too, the worst kind, probably very much like what we encounter in the Gulf of Mexico, steep, with very short duration (what I call a "square sea", 6 foot, 6 seconds apart). He must have been very accomplished to even consider attempting a voyage (I would say, "crazy", but that would be a rhetorical comment - [spoken with reverence and appreciation for his outlandish personality]). The fact that he was found in his boat seems to indicate that he couldn't disembark. This is my own personal belief, that he had a spray skirt, rolled, and was unable to right the boat. I hope you all will forgive me for this early analysis of the accident. I'm not trying to "Monday morning quarterback" his actions, just putting 2 and 2 together in my mind.

Kim

[greyloon]

Don't know what kayak Tito took that day. He may have acquired a sea type kayak, but hadn't the last I was aware. His others were rec kayaks and SOT's. Neither type are meant for big waves on big water. The weather and being alone are probably the major factors, though.

[Fla-Fish]

The only SIK he had that I knew about was his Aquafusion - LIBERTY 13'
the yellow one in the pool pic above. No kayak was suited for that kind of weather but that was Tito. Always pushing the envelope. I know he had a skirt for it and great gear. The best dry suit made short of a Survival Suit.
If you roll and can't get back up even in a suit you will tire very quikly.
Joe I think an autopsy will be required.

I think Kim and Joe are on track. Heart or rolled.

Fishing alone is not smart right Kim.

[Strider]

Steve, I'm not sure he could have talked anyone into going with him. And if they had, would they have fared any better? Hell, I have a hard time talking anyone into going when the temps get below 70 degrees

Kim

[Fla-Fish]

Kim you are right

Conflicting reports

Kayaker goes missing in Lake Ontario

Nov 27, 2007 11:34 PM
Noor Javed
Staff Reporter

Braving snow squalls and wind gusts of 90 km/h, members of the Canadian coast guard took to the air and water as part of a rescue team in search of a kayaker who was last seen Tuesday afternoon off shore in Lake Ontario.

Hamilton police Sgt. Mike Cunliffe said police got a call from concerned individuals in Fifty Point Park after a man left shore at 3 p.m amidst snow squalls. The man, whose name has not been released, was wearing a wetsuit.

Environment Canada issued a gale warning for the lake at 6:30 p.m. and predicted waves between 3 and 5 metres high through the evening. But despite the dangerous weather conditions, the search continued late into last night.

“We haven't found him yet,” said Cunliffe, late Tuesday night. “The search will go on until we have exhausted all options,” he said. “We’re concerned about our own guys out there,” he said.

Police found the man’s parked car shortly after 3 p.m. and the Hamilton police marine unit was dispatched. Officers from Hamilton and Niagara police searched the shoreline without success.

An air sea rescue helicopter from Canadian Forces Base Trenton and a Canadian Coast Guard boat from Port Weller were also called in to join the search.


Kayaker found dead near Grimsby
Nov 28, 2007 02:25 PM
Tamsyn Burgmann
Staff Reporter

A kayaker who went missing on Lake Ontario yesterday amid snow squalls and high winds was found dead this morning along the Niagara shoreline.

The Brantford man, 45, was discovered washed up on land just before 9 a.m. in the town of Lincoln, near Grimsby, said police. The kayak was found 200 metres offshore.
“The coast guard located the kayak from the air. By concentrating efforts in that area, they discovered the deceased,” said Niagara region police Const. Sal Basilone.

A search team, including members of the Canadian Coast Guard and the Hamilton and Niagara police marine units, set off in winds gusting up to 90 km/h and waves three to five metres high, but had no success last night.

“We had to pull our boat back because it was starting to ice up,” Wills said, adding a helicopter from Canadian Forces Base Trenton searched until the early hours of the morning.

Concerned individuals in the Fifty Point Park area first called police around 3 p.m. yesterday when the man left shore despite treacherous weather. He was wearing a wetsuit.

Police haven’t yet released the man’s name.