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Sanilac County sheriff's marine deputies and the Lexington police patrol boat found William A. Wertheimer, 36, of Farmington about 1.5 nautical miles off Mills Road at about 8 a.m. Sunday with his life jacket on. His body was about eight miles north of where he had launched the kayak at 11 a.m. Saturday, and approximately a mile southwest of where his kayak had been discovered the night before.

Undersheriff Garry Biniecki said the cause of death was drowning, but "we won't know about secondary causes such as hypothermia until the coroner's official report."

Wertheimer's family called the Coast Guard about 4 p.m. Saturday but Sanilac's marine patrol wasn't dispatched until 6:55 p.m.

"We had two officers out there (patrolling Lake Huron). We had three hours they could have been looking," stated Undersheriff Garry Biniecki.

After they were dispatched the Sanilac Division had about four boats searching, according to Biniecki.

According to Coast Guard Boatswain's Mate Derk Zwiers of Station Harbor Beach, the coast guard followed procedures.

"At the time we got the initial call we go through the steps and procedures and call our dispatch. They usually call everyone. It takes a half hour to process and let dispatch do their thing...Our main concern is to get out there and evaluate the scene to figure out what we need to do," said Zwiers.

"We get the helicopter on the scene to evaluate and had a few boats out there, the Huron County Sheriff Department...The state police (from Bad Axe) were out combing the shoreline," Zwiers added.

"It is hard to tell why they (Sanilac marine division) were not underway, it's not like we are not going to call them...They've got a lot of boats available...Whether it was miscommunication..." he said.

Wertheimer put the kayak in the water at M-25 and Day Road in Forester Township, which is about 14 miles south of the Huron County Line. He had a map of his normal route north along the shoreline at his parents' cottage and was usually gone 2 1/2 to three hours, Biniecki said.

The Sanilac marine deputies set up a search pattern and found the kayak about 9 p.m. approximately two nautical miles off Russell Road. Biniecki said it was upright, but swamped with water. There was a tee-shirt in the kayak, and the paddle and a fishing pole were secured to the boat.

"The Coast Guard stayed out most of the night, they had two helicopters and one vessel. We were out till 1 a.m. and went out again at 4 a.m. A helicopter is a big asset, but it so much easier in day light...He did have a bright colored life jacket and he was wearing it," stated Biniecki.

"I felt he was an experienced kayaker...He filed boating plans and had safety equipment. I've got to believe it was the wind and waves. We always urge people to stay with the boat," he added.

Biniecki said three thunderstorms went through the area, including one north of Deckerville Road, during the late afternoon that caused higher than normal winds and heavy rain.

The sheriff's department also received a couple of phone calls from people who reported seeing a bright yellow kayak off the Richmondville Road area between 4-6 p.m.

The Sanilac Marine Division was assisted by the Sanilac County Sheriff Department, Port Sanilac Police Department and Fire Department, Delaware Township Fire Department, Lexington Fire Department, Search and Rescue, and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

The coast guard helicopters were from the Detroit and Traverse City stations.