Search Party for Missing Boater
 

Urgent!!! This Sunday, February 01, 2004, 10:00am in Florida, any volunteers and boats will meet at the ramp on the Tampa side of the Gandy Bridge to search for the body of a lost powerboater involved in last Sunday's capsizing.

Let's Go! there has to be someone on OSO that lives out that way?

ttt

good luck, i would help but a little to far and can't fit a boat in a plane:(

I'm surprised this has not had a greater response. If I was in the area I would help you out.

Good Luck....

We are boatless this weekend. I imagine the turnout will be thin. It's supposed to rain all weekend, and it's Superbowl Sunday. Neither bode well for the turnout.

God Speed to him and his family.
Wish I could help but like Open 72 said it is a bit too far.
I will say a prayer tomorrow for you guys.

Sean

Game time: 6:25 p.m. ET

Even if people could take just a few hours in the morning that would be a big help.....

Afterall, Chris was a fellow Offshore boater...
:(

I will be there
 

Maximus will be there at 10 am.

I will be there at 10 a.m.

Andy Buzz

Any new news? :(

I hope the weather is better tomorrow for the search. It's 55 and raining here today.

Best of luck tomorrow in your search. We can only hope.

Forwarded: 1-31-04

I received this last night

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Here is the lastest info on the recovery effort. Thanks,

Fish

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10am Gandy Boat Ramp Tampa Side Near Jimmy Macs

Boat Owners Needed!

Officer Randy Lopez (TPD Marine Unit ) will be dock side with instructions. He is the only official so please follow his instructions.
Monitor VHF Channel 68
Northern Sweep - 10:20 sweep the Eastern side of Tampa Bay from Gandy Bridge North toward the Howard Franklin Bridge. Line up along the bridge @ approx. 10:20am - 200' apart. Smaller boats search the shallow water and canals. Larger boats search the open water. As the group approaches the Howard Franklin the larger boats should spread out to the west to continue the open water coverage, circling back to the Gandy.
Southern Sweep - After the Northern sweep returns to the Gandy the same format will be used heading South down the Macdill shore toward Gadsden Point then circling back to the Gandy
Important - Any meaningful discoveries that you may believe to be associated with the accident need to be treated with the utmost of care. Immediately contact Randy Lopez (TPD) on Channel 68 for instructions.
Randy Lopez (TPD) will go into much greater detail for coverage in other areas of the bay so please be early. For those of you without boats please meet at the Gandy ramp so we can pair you up with other boats needing crew.

Today @ 1pm First Baptist Church, 1900 Gandy Blvd. There was a Celebration of Life for Chris Parker.

Thanks to everyone in advance that can make it tomorrow.

I wish I could be there myself... :(

Good Luck!

Yes, best of luck.

Just received word that over 100 boats showed up to get involved in the search efforts. The Tampa Marine Unit & St Petersburg Units are involved. They are scanning the Bay, 100- 200 feet apart, and it is now sunny and calm in Tampa Bay. I was told it was astonishing to see so many boats show up. God Speed.


In Memory of Chris Parker, lost but not forgotten.

Wear your PFDs! :(

I just spoke with Ricochet Mike and he confirmed that over one hundred boats had arrived to participate in the search for Chris Parker. He said the line of search boats spanned Tampa Bay. It makes me feel proud to be part of a group that rallies so strongly for "one of it's own". We are all keeping our fingers crossed for luck. Godspeed. Russ

that makes me proud wish i was closer lets stick together

From Fish:

Search Unsuccessful

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Sharkey is right, there were an awful lot of boats. So many that on the south side of the Gandy Bridge, there were enough boats to spread from one side of the bay to the other.

Although we were unable to find Chris, it is truly a testament to the person he was and the rallying of the boating community to see so many boats of all types in the rain searching for him.

The search was called off at approximately 2:30 this afternoon and was followed by 1 minute of radio silence and then all boats blowing their horns together in memorium.

This is a picture of the boats in a line towards the west (pinellas county) lined up and searching. THere were about twice as many to the east from where I was in the line, but the picture did not come out.

Fish

we helped search stingently until 2:00 pm,started running out of fuel,did get to meet and extend our condolences to chris's dad and cousins, thanks everybody involved

honorable thing to do those that helped..wish there was closure for the family...

CLOSURE!!! Chris Parker was found this afternoon. Rest in peace.

Thank you Andy.

I just got back from Orlando. I tried asking around while I was down there but no one knew anything.

Thank you again for the update. Finding him will now help his family and friends with their grieving...