Search continues for sailboaters who capsized near Chuckanut Bay

PETER JENSEN - THE BELLINGHAM HERALD

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Volunteers in kayaks and other small boats searched Saturday, June 6, for two men who have been missing since their sailboat capsized near Chuckanut Bay early Friday morning.

The men have been identified as Sean Mansfield and Gunther Frank, and friends gathered where the sailboat washed ashore south of Post Point.

They spent Saturday morning breaking the boat apart with an electric saw and a sledgehammer, and then loaded the debris into a truck.

The U.S. Coast Guard had two boats and a helicopter searching for the men Friday morning, but it suspended the search effort pending further developments that afternoon.

The Coast Guard has not received any reports of developments and didn't resume its search Saturday, Petty Officer 2nd Class John Russell said.

The Whatcom County Sheriff's Office declared Frank and Mansfield missing and presumed drowned Friday, but friends are holding out hope, said Chris Fuller, a friend of both men.

"Everybody's still kind of hoping," Fuller said. "People are trying to figure out what they can do."

Fuller said he knows Frank because they shared a passion for photography, although their styles differed greatly.

Frank became a fixture at many local music venues and bars because he photographed so many rock shows, Fuller said.

Fuller said Frank's approach to photography was more artistic than his. He said Frank would get right on stage as a band was performing, use wide-angle lenses and crouch or stand to vary his photographs' perspective.

"Like any artist he liked being around creative energy," Fuller said. "Being at a rock show is a terrific source of creative energy. He had a very specific vision and he was able to express it very well."

Mansfield is well known in the snowboarding community at the Mt. Baker Ski Area and was sponsored to ride, said Flann O'Malley, a friend of Mansfield and Frank.

O'Malley said Mansfield became a familiar sight on the ski area's slopes on many winter days and in bars and restaurants in downtown Bellingham at night.

Fuller walked down to the beached sailboat Friday and said it was difficult to see the boat and contemplate the prospect that his friends might not be coming home.

O'Malley said their loss would be felt throughout the downtown arts, music and nightlife communities.

"Everybody who was in the downtown community knew both of these guys very well," O'Malley said. "All across the board they were amazing dudes."