Family Looks For Answers After Richardson Bay Man Vanishes From 'Anchor-Out' Houseboat

RICHARDSON BAY (KPIX 5) -- A Richardson Bay man's family is pleading for answers after he mysteriously vanished from his houseboat in December.

David Standish's last known address was on the water in Richardson Bay. He may have fallen into the Bay, but no one seems to know.

"We don't know anything else. He's gone. His boat is gone. So, no one can tell a story," Einstein, one of the 'anchor outs' on Richardson Bay told KPIX 5.

Anchor outs are a bohemian group of nomads living an illegal lifestyle by anchoring in Richardson Bay. They are mostly overlooked by law enforcement. Boaters aren't supposed to drop anchor in random Bay waters and live, but hundreds do.  Standish was among them.

The dinghy Standish used to get to and from shore also went missing, but his boat was untouched.

Standish's boat was eventually crushed by sheriff's deputies after they investigated, but found a wallet, and journal, but no signs of anything amiss. It seemed as though he had simply vanished.

"We were always in contact with each other, via phone calls, letters, email, and all of a sudden it stopped," Dianne Davis said.

Standish's anchor out neighbors wished his boat hadn't been destroyed.

"Cops, or the sheriff's department had to do a report, and then the boat was crushed. So, I guess that's the end of David," Einstein said.

Marin County Sheriff's officials did not return our calls.