Anchorage Daily News

Alaska State Troopers say the two hunters on a canoe trip down the Susitna River who were found dead Tuesday died from drowning.

Raymond Lyn Westbrook, 50, of Anchorage, and Eric Scott Henman, 42, of Watertown, S.D., were both found in Cook Inlet.

Henman was found on the shoreline at Point MacKenzie, more than 10 miles from the mouth of the river, trooper spokeswoman Megan Peters said Wednesday. The canoe, still intact and in good condition, was about 120 yards away from him. He was wearing jeans, T-shirt and a personal floatation device.

Westbrook was found several miles away, northeast of Fire Island. He was also wearing a PFD.

Peters said the men should not have been going down the river in a canoe. "The Big Su is not exactly a smooth ride," she said.

The men were reported missing at about 4 p.m. Monday after they didn't return from a three-day hunting trip.

They left the Deshka Landing near Willow in the aluminum canoe at about 9 p.m. Thursday and planned to return Sunday night, Westbrook's girlfriend, Geriann Boling, 57, told troopers.

The men were going to canoe down the Susitna to hunt bear, then follow the river to Point MacKenzie, where a vehicle was waiting for them, troopers said. They never showed.

Following the report of the overdue hunters, troopers began searching the Susitna by air and boat Monday evening but were unable to find them.

At about noon Tuesday, troopers found Henman's body. With the help of an Anchorage Fire Department boat, they recovered his body. Three hours later, troopers found Westbrook's body.

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