JORDAN RIVER, B.C. -- The search for a missing kayaker is expanding up the west coast of Vancouver Island on Tuesday.
Timothy Ross, 38, left Ella Beach in Sooke at 12:15 p.m. Sunday and was supposed to return to his home in Langford by 4 p.m. Sooke RCMP were notified that he was missing at 5:42 p.m.
Members of the Juan de Fuca and Salt Spring Island search and rescue teams have been searching since Sunday night.
SAR senior manager Vickie Webber said teams are back out Tuesday and will be heading up the coast to Port Renfrew to start searching after high tide.
"We’ve been searching up along the west coast," said Webber. "There are a few areas we didn’t get into yet so today that’s been our focus."
"Just the way the tides and currents work in the strait, there is this huge flushing action in and out of the straits. Really, somebody that manages to get out into the straits can go a long, long way," she said.
In addition to looking for a kayak, searchers say they are looking for anyone in a black wetsuit in the area, in case Ross decided to take cover somewhere on shore.
"If he was aware of the weather and decided to try and hole up along the west coast there are all those beaches," said Webber. "If he got out in the current and went further than he intended the chances are reasonable that somebody could survive this."
"If he flipped in the water, particularly that first night, our ocean water is cold. In my experience the outcome is very questionable," she said.
The Royal Canadian Air Force and United States Coast Guard assisted with the search Monday but ended their participation Monday evening.
"It is conceivable that he has made it all the way across to Neah Bay, (Wash.), potentially," said Sooke RCMP Sgt. Kevin Shaw
Environment Canada issued a wind warning for western Vancouver Island on Tuesday.
Ross is described as an experienced outdoorsman and was last seen wearing a black wetsuit with a maroon striped wool toque.
He is believed to be in a blue and purple Jackson Adventure-brand river kayak.
"Information has been coming in since (Sunday) evening and overnight and we are hopeful he is still as the witnesses said – still paddling and heading west from Sooke and hopefully we can find him safely," said Shaw.
Anyone with information about Ross’s whereabouts is asked to contact Sooke RCMP at 250-642-5241.
