The body of a missing boater has been found.

  • Body of missing boater found
  • Joshua Ford, 35, went missing Saturday, Jan. 13
  • Ford launched around 8 a.m. in an orange canoe; didn't return when expected

Officials said 35-year old Josh Ford's body was found in the waters just south of Rocky Point. It’s the same area where a canoe matching Ford's had been found capsized earlier on Sunday.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is conducting the ongoing investigation.

Ford's girlfriend, Angela Barton, reported Ford missing after he failed to return from a fishing trip on Saturday.

Barton was running late for work when she dropped Ford and his canoe off at Ben T. Davis beach near the Courtney Campbell Causeway in Tampa on Saturday morning about 8 a.m.

"And he was like, 'That's it' and he came to my window, gave me a kiss and I said 'I'll see you later... have a good day,'" recalled Barton.

She said she spoke with Ford on the phone again just before 10 p.m. Saturday. Later, she tried to text him but he did not reply. She called him after work and said the call went straight to his voicemail.

"I keep expecting to see him walking because he made it to shore and can't call anybody and is walking home." - Angela Barton

"I went home figuring he was just out on the water having a good day and then it got later and I said, "His phone's dead he's probably out on the shore waiting for me. I better just go pick him up," said Barton.

She took her father with her to look for Ford and when the sun started going down she began to panic and called authorities.

"We waited another hour and still no sign of him, so I called because I knew something had to be wrong," she said.

The search began but failed to turn up anything until Sunday morning around 10 a.m., a full 24 hours after Barton had last heard from Ford. The Coast Guard informed her they had located a canoe matching Ford's capsized in the waters south of Rocky Point. Less than five hours later they located a man’s body now identified as Ford.

It wasn't the ending Barton had hoped for.

"I keep expecting to see him walking because he made it to shore and can't call anybody and is walking home," said Barton.

Now, she’s heartbroken and left wondering how a fun day off on the water turned so tragic.

Stay with Bay News 9 for updates.