The sister of a missing Sunshine Coast man wrote on her Facebook page Sunday night that he had been found dead.

Jesse Farrand, 49, was last seen taking his blue kayak into the water off Roberts Creek Road on Aug. 19. His sister Tara Romer posted Sunday night that Farrand's body had been found. Calls to Sunshine Coast RCMP and messages to Romer were not immediately returned Sunday night.

Earlier in the day, Romer told CTV News Vancouver Island she was still hopeful he would be found. She said Farrand was an experienced outdoorsman, but he was kayaking alone.

“If there was anybody who could survive somewhere … we feel like he has a lot of skills,” said Romer.

Police called the family on Saturday night to tell them a blue kayak was found on Thursday near View Road above the tide line.

“We were all initially devastated because we wanted to find them together,” said Romer.

On Sunday, search and rescue crews, police and volunteer pilots all scoured the coast for Farrand.

“It is a very wide area now,” said Sunshine Coast search and rescue manager Alec Tebbutt. “Our shoreline searches are focused on an area rarely walked by people.”

The search was focused between Thormanby Island, up the shoreline, and through Powell River.

“We are still clinging to the hope that this is still a rescue, not a recovery and that he is somewhere in that remote area between Secret Cove, past Nelson Island to Powell River,” said Romer.

Farrand was new to kayaking, but was always very safe, she said. 

“With all the boat traffic we are hoping people can keep their eye out,” said Romer. “We are not giving up hope until we find him.”

Anyone who thinks they saw Farrand is being asked to contact Sunshine Coast RCMP immediately. 

With files from CTV News Vancouver's Ian Holliday