2 still missing @ Lake Jesup

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http://www.news-journalonline.com/article/20121231/NEWS/121239982?Title=Search-resumes-for-missing-Volusia-men-in-Lake-Jesup

High speed to get over short water is at night/low vis is a deadly habit.

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OVIEDO -- The search continued on Monday morning for two Volusia County men who family members said took a boat ride to dinner then disappeared on Lake Jesup.



Charles "Charlie" Jackson of Deltona picked up Jason Cobb of Osteen at his home on the St. Johns River after 5 p.m. Friday so the two could go to dinner at the Black Hammock Restaurant, said Cobb's sister Amanda Goodwin, who was at the scene with family on Monday.

Authorities say the men left the Black Hammock Fish Camp in Oviedo at 1 a.m. Saturday headed for Lemon Bluff, on the St. Johns River northeast of Lake Jesup.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission officials speculated over the weekend that the two may have been thrown from the boat, but gave little detail why.

A Sanford fishing boat captain, Ron Camillone, said Monday that the 15-foot Bass Tracker the men were on was found in a position that could back the theory of the men being thrown.

The friends' keys, unopened beers and life jackets were all found on the boat. The boat was found in cattails less than a mile north of the fish camp, near Bird Island, said Lt. Joy Hill, Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission spokeswoman.


"We believe they were thrown from the boat. (The boat) was in the full-throttle position when it was found," Camillone said.

Lake Jesup is only 6 feet at its deepest point and under the water is 8 feet of muck where a massive population of gators burrow to stay warm, Camillone said.

"The lake can go from 6 feet to 6 inches in a second," Camillone said.

When the pair did not come back when expected, family and friends called the authorities and the boat the men were on was found in a weedy area of the lake.

Glenn

Out at 1:00 am on one of the coldest nights....Why?

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Family and friends were at the scene Monday morning and volunteers joined the search. Lauren Cobb, Ericka Cobb and Goodwin said the families would appreciate any help volunteers could offer, though state officials have said they worry additional searchers could compromise any evidence found.

Goodwin said wildlife officers have asked volunteers and family members to stay away from teh north part of Lake Jesup.

Lake Jesup is one of the largest lakes in Central Florida and populated with nearly 10,000 alligators. It is the second most densely populated gator lake in the region and only three lakes in Florida have more alligators than Lake Jesup: Lake Okeechobee, Lake George in northern Volusia County and Orange Lake near Gainesville. However, state officials said they are not overly concerned with that because the gators are mostly lethargic during this time of year.

Part of the St. Johns River system, Lake Jesup is 9 miles long and 5 miles wide. It has a surface area of about 10,660 acres -- 16.7 square miles -- and drains about 86,382 acres (135 square miles), including a large portion of Seminole County, a small portion of Orange County, the entire city of Winter Springs, and portions of several other nearby cities, according to the Department of Environmental Protection. At high stage levels, Lake Jesup has surface area up to 16,000 acres.

Hill said an announcement from the Wildlife Commission is expected Monday afternoon.

Tripleclean

Black Hammock Fish Camp in Oviedo at 1 a.m.
Lemon Bluff, on the St. Johns River northeast of Lake Jesup
The boat was found in cattails less than a mile north of the fish camp, near Bird Island

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This map has no treasure.