The morning was calm when Daniel Whitmore and his ten-year-old daughter Sophie set out from Port Townsend, Washington, aboard their modest sailboat The Seraphine. It was the first weekend of summer 2014. The plan was simple: a two-day sailing trip through the Puget Sound, father and daughter bonding over fishing and the sea breeze. Daniel’s wife, Emily, kissed them goodbye, promising pancakes when they returned.
When The Seraphine failed to dock by Sunday evening, Emily’s concern turned into panic. The Coast Guard was alerted, and within twenty-four hours, they found the vessel drifting near Whidbey Island. The sails were down, the radio was functional, and the cooler still held sandwiches and juice boxes. Sophie’s small lifejacket hung on a hook. Daniel’s phone, wallet, and keys lay untouched in the cabin. But Daniel and Sophie were gone.
