The Journey That Never Ended

On May 6, 1978, Victor “Jay” Burgess Jr., a 23-year-old Alaska Native from Hydaburg, embarked on a routine boat trip that would tragically become his last known journey. Alongside four companions—Verne Edenshaw Jr., Glenn Cook, Delbert Kelley, and William Hamilton Jr.—Burgess set out from Hydaburg to Craig, two communities situated on the rugged coastline of Prince of Wales Island in Southeast Alaska. The group was last seen at the Waterfall Resort, approximately 15 miles from Craig. They never arrived at their destination.

Clues from the Sea

In the days following their disappearance, search efforts yielded only partial and unsettling clues. One skiff was discovered submerged near Cruz Island in San Alberto Bay, while another was found tied to a rock in Canoe Pass. Despite these findings, there was no trace of the five men. The prevailing theory suggested that they had drowned during their voyage, yet no bodies were ever recovered, leaving the case shrouded in uncertainty....Read More