'I know he's alive': Family searches for Ahousaht man missing for more than a year
Travis Thomas was sent to an uninhabited west coast island in July 2018 to heal his spirit after wife's death
The aluminum herring skiff comes off the top of one wave and slams into the next, sending salty spray flying into the open boat as the motor roars.
With one hand on the tiller of the outboard motor, Louis Frank Jr. steers through the choppy Pacific Ocean.
He's an elder from the Ahousaht First Nation and is crossing Clayoquot Sound to remote Bartlett Island in search of his nephew, Travis Thomas.
Then 39, Thomas was placed on the island in July 2018 as part of an effort to help him clean up his life, which had gone off the rails after the death of his wife.
Island a sacred retreat
Frank steers around some rocky islets and puts the motor into neutral off a beautiful sandy beach.
"Right up here is where they first put Travis for the first six days," he said, pointing to some logs and scrappy trees above the high water mark.
Thomas was left with a tent and a few basic supplies, and was accompanied for the first couple of days by his new girlfriend.
But then she left, leaving Thomas alone. The idea was he would reconnect with nature, meditate on his problems and find a way forward.
"For us it's a place of healing, so we put people out here who are struggling in their lives to heal," said Frank, noting that long ago the island was used as a sacred retreat where young men honed their skills for war.
He pulls the skiff into a sheltered bay, sets the anchor and walks through the brush to a camp set up in a wooded area.
Family sets up camp
Bartlett Island is less than a kilometre wide and about 800 metres across. It's a rugged mix of dense brush, caves and sand beaches. Its highest point is 32 metres above sea level.
Searchers have built a simple camp with a few lawn chairs, a fire pit and a large tent over an aluminum frame.
Inside, dry clothes hang from the ceiling and several plastic bins are set out on a table. One is full of candy and other treats.
Frank says his nephew has been here, taking clothing and some of the food left out for him.
"That's what I hold into, that one day he's gonna come to me and say, 'I'm ready to come home now, take me home.' And that's what I wake up to every day, that today's the day."
Frank says he and others have repeatedly seen Thomas on the island.
"His hair is really long. He's got a really full beard now because he hasn't shaved for a while."
Sightings of the missing man
He believes Thomas watches from afar, convinced everyone he sees is an enemy.
Frank grabs an axe and gets to work building a fire from cedar blocks. The hope is the warmth of the fire and smell of smoke will draw Thomas in.
Scattered all over the island are photographs covered in protective plastic, as well as messages of hope scrawled on an old life jacket, on trees and even on fishing gear hanging from a tree branch.
Later that day, in the isolated village of Ahousaht, several of Thomas's relatives gathered to talk about the ordeal.
They shared cellphone videos and photos showing how Thomas stood out, first as a star basketball player, and later as a coach.
His aunt, Lisa Sabbas, clings to hope.
"It's emotional, very emotional. There are days you cry, days you wonder, but what can you do?"
She has this to say to those who wonder why the family keeps searching.
"What if it were your child? What would you do? What would you be doing if it were your child out there?"
Entire community caught up in the mystery
The mysterious disappearance has captivated this community of about 900 people.
Cousin Monica Sabbas says it's hit Thomas's four children and grandchild the hardest.
"They miss their dad lots, so much," she says. "His grandson calls for him when they're out there."
She says they too have taken part in the search on Bartlett Island.
A number of stills and videos from the island give hope to the searchers. One is a ghostly image of a man holding a flashlight. It was captured at night on an automated trail camera.
Ahousaht Chief Greg Louie issued a statement saying no one else would be placed in isolation on the island without a reliable communication system and thorough medical screening.
Community wants more help searching
In terms of the official search, which is led by the RCMP, the family is disappointed.
"They've made their appearances, to say they went out there, but," Lisa Sabbas said before trailing off with a shrug. She's clearly disappointed with the RCMP's response.
An RCMP spokesperson said the case remains active, including a helicopter search in early December.
Extensive resources, including tracking dogs and search and rescue experts, have been devoted to past attempts to locate Thomas, according to the spokesperson.
At the end of a recent day's searching on the island, Louis Frank Jr. walked along a long sandy beach showing where he had seen footprints he believes were made by Thomas.
"In my heart I know he's here, because I've seen Travis, heard Travis singing. I know he's alive, I know he is."
But after nearly 500 days, Frank ended the day back on his boat. He headed home to Ahousaht, still not knowing what's happened to his nephew.
