"Stick your arm in 60-degree water for about 10 minutes, and see how it feels,'' one of the fishermen said. "It'll be numb in no time. Just imagine what that would do to you if you were in it for a while.''
After a sleepless night, Schuyler's father and step-mother, Stuart and Jackie, came to the Seminole Boat Ramp. They walked around Cooper's truck before breaking down in tears and embracing.
Stuart Schuyler later told the FOX television affiliate in Tampa that he appreciated the efforts of the Coast Guard and had not given up hope for his son's party.
"Who knows what the circumstances are out there?'' he said.
As midnight neared, that mystery remained. Like a devoted sentry, Cooper's truck remained in a deserted parking lot. Usually, there would be signs of activity in the area as night anglers headed out, but this was no night for fishing.
