Hunter recalls night the skiff capsized

PETERSBURG – Mike Payne, a local resident was part of a hunting trip last Friday when a skiff capsized in Duncan Canal around 1 A.M. that resulted in the death of Doug Larson.

Payne said that Larson and Charles King were bringing the rest of their hunting buddies warm pizza when the wind and tide became too strong and pulled the skiff back to shore. Payne couldn't see the duo in the dark, but at one point he heard a yell.

"We called out, but through the wind and tide they couldn't hear us or us hear them," wrote Payne in a statement to the Pilot. "We figured they had headed back to the cabin."

Payne, Larson and King and two other individuals were on a hunting trip when their vessel, Fish Hawk, got hung up on a rock in Duncan Canal near the salt chuck around 12:30 P.M. last Thursday. The tide was coming in, so the group decided to start unloading the supplies and transporting gear to shore in an inflatable boat. As the last of the gear was taken off the Fish Hawk, Payne said he knew the boat was going to be stuck until 12:22 A.M. when the tide would be able to lift the boat.

Payne decided to remain on the vessel while Larson, 50, King, 40, and another member of the group went ashore to a cabin. After his alarm went off at 11 P.M. Thursday night, Payne said he went outside and could see the tide rushing in. About 75 yards away, Payne could see Larson and King come towards him in a forest service skiff with pizza they had made. Larson and King could not get closer than 75 yards and after about 15 minutes of trying, the skiff turned sideways and started heading to shore. That was when Payne heard the yell.

The Fish Hawk began to move, and around 12:30 A.M. Friday morning, the vessel righted itself. Payne quickly went to the cabin, but didn't see the forest service skiff. According to Payne, the third individual who had gone ashore with Larson and King said the two hadn't returned and that he assumed they stayed out on the vessel.

Payne called the USCG Sector Juneau around 1 A.M. Soon after, Payne heard King yell while he was searching for the skiff. King and Larson had drifted about three quarters of a mile away, according to Payne. Due to the wind and current, King and Larson weren't able to kick the skiff, which had capsized, back to shore. Additionally, the anchor fell out of the skiff and was preventing them from getting blown to the beach.

According to the Alaska Department of Public Safety, King and Larson had clung to the overturned skiff for approximately one to two hours.

"When I was finally able to locate them, I didn't see [Larson], and [King] barely had his mouth above water," wrote Payne. "I actually had to grab his hair to pull him up. [King] then pulled [Larson] up and tried to get me to take him. When [King] pulled him up, [Larson] had been fully submerged for a while and in my mind, had already passed away."

Payne was only able to pull King aboard, who was still conscious. He put King in front of a heater, but was unable to find Larson's body. On the way back to the cabin to get help, Payne called the Coast Guard again which said a helicopter was on its way, but it wasn't able to make it to the scene until 9 A.M., according to Payne. Meanwhile, the rest of the hunters were searching the area.

According to Amanda Norcross, a spokesperson with the United States Coast Guard, Larson's body was found sometime between 11 A.M. and 12:30 P.M. Friday. Payne said the body was found about 100 yards away from the skiff.

A MH-60 Jayhawk from Air Station Sitka, United States Coast Guard Cutter John McCormick, Petersburg Search and Rescue and an Alaska State Trooper vessel were all dispatched to search the salt chuck and the north arm of Duncan Canal for Larson. After the helicopter spotted Larson, the crew directed the Fish Hawk to his body, according to Norcross.

Five members of Petersburg Search and Rescue also made their way to Duncan Canal at approximately 6 A.M. Friday, according to Assistant Fire Chief Dave Berg. The crew searched the beaches on both sides of the salt chuck area.

"I may have saved [King's] life, but I am no hero," wrote Payne. "Anybody would have done it for a friend. I just wish I could have done more for [Larson]. It was just two friends who were trying to bring a warm pizza out to two other friends and it went sideways from there."