SRJC professor dies while kayaking in Tomales Bay

Santa Rosa Junior College professor Nicholas A. Anast died Wednesday afternoon after he fell out of his kayak while paddling with a friend in Tomales Bay, a Marin County sheriff’s official said.

Rescuers aboard a Coast Guard helicopter said he was not wearing a life jacket when they reached him at about 6 p.m., Lt. Doug Pittman said.

No one saw the life sciences professor fall into the water near Dillon Beach, and it’s not clear if he drowned, Pittman said.

The other kayaker, who fell in the water trying to help Anast, was rescued by the helicopter crew from the rocky shoreline and ferried to Dillon Beach, where he was checked by paramedics and found to be in good condition with some cuts and abrasions, he said.

Rough surf and the rocks made it impossible to deploy a boat in the rescue effort, Pittman said.

The men set out in separate kayaks from Nick’s Cove on Highway 1 in Marshall on the Marin County mainland side of Tomales Bay. They had paddled north to the mouth of the bay and were headed back when the survivor, who was about seven boat lengths ahead of his friend, turned around and saw the man had fallen in the water.

The survivor saw that Anast’s boat was filling with water and decided to try to get him into his kayak, Pittman said.

But, the survivor fell into the water, too. He made it to shore, but his friend was lost in the surf.

Fishermen reported two kayakers in distress at 4:35 p.m. Sheriff’s deputies and Marin County firefighters responded, along with Coast Guard and REACH medical helicopters.

The Coast Guard helicopter rescued the survivor, then took off to search for Anast, who was spotted in the bay by a news helicopter crew, Pittman said.