On a spring day in May of 1978, a young, 20-year-old man named Verne Edenshaw, Jr. set out on a boat trip in the waters of southeastern Alaska. He, along with four companions, Victor 'Jay' Burgess, Glenn Cook, Delbert Kelley, and William Hamilton Jr., departed from Hydaburg with the destination of Craig. The group was last seen at the Waterfall Resort, a location approximately 15 miles from their final destination. The journey was a roughly 30-mile trip across the water, a common enough undertaking in a region where marine travel is a way of life. However, this seemingly routine excursion would end in mystery and tragedy, leaving a lasting wound in the community.
The initial alarm was likely raised when the five men failed to arrive in Craig as expected. As the hours turned into days, a search would have commenced, combing the vast and often treacherous waters of the Alaskan archipelago. The search efforts eventually led to a grim discovery. One of the skiffs the men were traveling in was found submerged in the waters of San Alberto Bay, near Cruz Island. In a separate location, the second skiff was discovered, tied to a rock in a place known as Canoe Pass. These findings painted a somber picture, suggesting a sudden and catastrophic event had occurred, but the absence of the men themselves left a void of unanswered questions. The discovery of the boats, one submerged and one secured, hinted at a desperate situation but provided no clear narrative of what transpired.
The prevailing theory, and the one that has stood the test of time, is that Verne Edenshaw, Jr. and his four companions were victims of a tragic drowning accident. The powerful currents, unpredictable weather, and cold water temperatures of the region can turn a pleasant boat trip into a life-threatening ordeal in a matter of moments. Despite the discovery of the skiffs, the bodies of the five men were never recovered. Their disappearance serves as a haunting reminder of the unforgiving nature of the sea and the fragility of life. The case remains a painful memory for the families and the communities of Hydaburg and Craig, a story of five lives lost to the vast and mysterious waters of Alaska. The exact sequence of events on that fateful day in May remains unknown, a somber testament to the power of the ocean and the enduring pain of unresolved loss.
Last Seen: May 6, 1978
