Friends say continued search for missing Maryland boater is a "gut-wrenching feeling"
Travis Long told WJZ it was a "gut-wrenching feeling" when his friend Lonnie Johnson went missing during a boating adventure in the Chesapeake Bay earlier this month.
Johnson, a 65-year-old experienced boater and fisherman, launched from the marina in Chesapeake Beach on November 13.
When Johnson didn't show up for a fishing trip the next morning, some of his friends, including Long, set out on the water to look for him.
Long said they found Johnson's boat about 12 nautical miles SSE near Taylor's Island.
"It was devastating, the moment that we found the boat and that we knew he wasn't on it," Long said. "It was really a gut-wrenching feeling."
A fixture of the local fishing community
Long told WJZ that he's determined to keep Johnson's story in the public eye and urges search teams to continue their efforts.
He said he met Johnson about 20 years ago, the same way most people meet him, by fishing.
"He gave me tips, like he did for almost everyone on the bay, what lures to use, where to fish," Long said.
Long said Johnson is a fixture of the fishing community, a father, a grandfather, a proud veteran, and a reliable friend.
"He always would answer the phone, he always had an ear, he was one of those friends who would drop everything to give you support when you needed it," Long said.
Searching for closure
Long said friends and volunteers are continuing to search along shorelines while professional crews use sonar, boats, and aviation assets to cover open water.
"It's been a collaboration of volunteers, and there's been a great effort by Maryland DNR, the Coast Guard, and fire departments from Baltimore all the way down to St. Leonard," Long said.
Wind and current have pushed the search area farther out each day.
"We all want him found," Long said. "The family really needs closure during this holiday time."
Long has a message for anyone living or boating anywhere along the bay.
"Anybody from the bay bridge to Solomons, from Kent Island to Taylor's Island, please keep an eye out for LJ and his family," Long said.
