LUCERNE >> Three weeks after he disappeared, kayaker Michael Belhumeur, 68, who set out for his daily row from Lucerne on Dec. 30 remains missing, although daily searches continue.
Most recently, Lake County Sheriff”s Office (LCSO) deputies and Search and Rescue volunteers made another search of Lucerne”s shoreline. This occurred on Sunday.
Meanwhile, boat patrolmen look for Belhumeur daily and the LCSO”s marine patrol deputy searches in between calls, LCSO Public Information Officer Lt. Steve Brooks said.
“We”ve had to scale the search back since the initial report, but we”re still looking and we”re going to keep looking until we find him,” Brooks said.
After Belhumeur first went missing, Search and Rescue found his kayak, life jacket and oar near Ceago Winery”s beach. However, water temperatures in the 40s are likely to have kept his body under if he drowned.
“The colder it is, the longer they tend to stay down,” Brooks said. “We”re supposed to get warmer weather so I”m hoping we can locate him soon.”
Brooks has seen instances where a body has stayed under water for up to two months after drowning.
Anyone with information about Belhumeur should contact the LCSO at 262-4200.
