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Mi'kmaw elder continues valiant search for missing friend

Every morning for the past two weeks Junior Peter-Paul stands on the southeastern shore of P.E.I. and prays for his dear friend Craig (Jumbo) Sock.

Craig (Jumbo) Sock missing and presumed drowned since his fishing boat capsized April 3 off Nova Scotia

Shane Ross · CBC News ·
Junior Peter-Paul, seen here during a sunrise ceremony at the Charlottetown Harbour, has been searching for Craig (Jumbo) Sock every day since April 6. He starts each day of his search with a sunrise ceremony. (Isabella Zavarise/CBC)

After "tossing and turning" all night, and the sun finally comes up, Junior Peter-Paul stands on the shores of southeastern P.E.I. and prays for his dear friend Craig (Jumbo) Sock.

Then he scours the coast for Sock's body, wondering what will happen if he finds him.

"Would I freak out or would I be happy or would I, you know, it's just a lot of things I think," he said.

"If I see him in the shore floating, I'm thinking to myself, I'm going to jump in that water. I don't care how rough it is, I'm going out there and get him. I don't think I'd want to let go, once I get a hold of him."

Sock has been missing and presumed drowned since his boat capsized while crab fishing off the coast of Nova Scotia April 3. One other crew member, Seth Monahan, died. Three survived.

A man with short, black hair wearing sunglasses and a blue t-shirt smiles.
Craig Sock is remembered as a kind gentleman who served his community well. (Submitted by Derek Sock)

Some believe Sock's body may wash ashore on P.E.I. Peter-Paul has been searching those shores every morning for the past two weeks.

Peter-Paul, a Mi'kmaw elder with the Abegweit First Nation in Scotchfort, P.E.I., knew Sock well when they were both with the Elsipogtog First Nation in New Brunswick. 

He said Sock was a kind gentleman who respected — and was respected by — a lot of people.

"I would like to give him thanks for all the things he has done for the community."

Peter-Paul says if he finds his friend, he won't want to let go. (Brian Higgins/CBC)

That's why Peter-Paul and others continue to search for his body. Peter-Paul estimates he's covered about 50 kilometres of shoreline so far. Peter-Paul said some of his friends and family worry about his own safety, but he wears a reflective vest and carries a flashing light and his phone with him.

He hopes his friend is found soon, but he's not ready to give up the search, or the sunrise ceremonies in his honour.

"Right now I'm having a hard time sleeping, I'm tossing and turning, looking forward to daylight you know, just to get out there and do my offerings of tobacco to the ocean and light up the smudge and pray and sing a song for him, and for his family and I just keep on. I can only do so many, few miles at a time."

More from CBC P.E.I.

Corrections

  • A previous version of this story said three other crew members survived. It should also have included the fact that a fourth crew member, Seth Monahan of Elsipogtog, died in the tragedy.
    Apr 21, 2021 11:55 AM AT

With files from Maggie Brown

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