James Peter Jurica, 29, vanished after being put ashore on South Manitou Island in late July 1978 when he intended to reach a family gathering on North Manitou Island. Jurica boarded the Manitou Transit mail boat from Leland on July 30 but was dropped at the wrong island. Witnesses saw him on South Manitou on two occasions as he tried to get passage across the four-mile channel to North Manitou. He was last seen on August 2, 1978.

Jurica was described as a white male, 5 feet 9 inches, about 145 pounds, with brown shoulder-length hair, a brown mustache, blue eyes, tinted glasses, a scar on his left thigh, and carrying a green backpack. He wore brown shorts and either jogging shoes or boots. Extensive ground, air and dive searches of the islands and nearby waters turned up no trace of him or his belongings. His family provided DNA from his mother, brother and sister for national databases in hopes of a future match.

What did anyone see on South Manitou in early August 1978 that might explain why he never reached North Manitou? If anyone knew James or was on the islands then, please share what might help this long-cold search.