The widow of missing fisherman Sam Outerbridge last night paid tribute to her "best friend".

Mr. Outerbridge disappeared on Tuesday night and although his boat the Peanuts Two Too was found, there was no sign of the 55-year-old Hamilton Parish man, known not to be able to swim.

Harbour Radio confirmed on Thursday the search and rescue mission had been downgraded to a recovery exercise, but widow Susan was resigned to never seeing her husband again on Wednesday afternoon.

"He was a very loving, very unselfish, very caring man," she told The Royal Gazette.

"He was one of those people who thought more about other people than he did himself. He would not have wanted us to feel sad, but somehow its very hard when I've lost my best friend.

"Many people's lives have been affected by this tragedy, but Sam would want us to get on with our lives. I keep thinking he is going to call on the phone and will be home soon."

Mr. Outerbridge was well known and well-liked in fishing circles, with his inability to swim the source of endless teasing.

Mystery still surrounds his apparent demise, but Marine Police have told the family the presence of a broken pair of glasses in the cockpit of his boat suggest some form of struggle, maybe reeling in a fish or hauling up lobster pots.

His widow believes her husband, who she married at Holy Trinity Church six years ago, may have died from natural causes.

"I like to think he was unconscious by the time he was in the water," she continued.

"Maybe it was heart attack or a stroke. He will be sadly missed by us all. I knew from the first time I met Sam, we were destined to be together.

"He would take me on trips to Boston and Florida, go out for very nice dinners or out for cocktails. Having grown up on boats and on the water myself, it felt very natural for me to be with Sam on the boat - it was made to be."

She believes their seven-year-old son Morgan has yet to fully understand what has happened to his father, but Mrs. Outerbridge said: "He still asks for his Daddy, but he wants to say that he loves him and misses him very much.

"Sam gave us a special gift in Morgan. Nobody expected it, but new we all have a piece of Sam with us."

The Tuesday Mr. Outerbridge went missing, his wife didn't even know he was going out on the boat. But for a couple who usually talk two or three times a day, she became increasingly concerned when she couldn't get hold of him.

A trip down to the moorings to find his truck but no boat, suggested he was out on the water, but there was no response to calls to his phone or the boat's radio.

Once the Police were contacted she went out on a friend's boat and was out three-and-a-half miles south-southwest of Castle Island at the site the boat was found, where Marine Police told her that his boat was empty - and her husband missing.

Knowing he was unable to swim, she remained hopeful that night but by Wednesday afternoon was resigned to her lose.

Other family members also wanted to pay tribute with sister Janice telling The Royal Gazette " He has always been a free spirit, happy-go-lucky. He seemed never to worry too much about things that could not be changed.

"'Take life as it comes' was his motto. He and Morgan were inseparable, even at aged seven, Morgan has a knowledge and understanding of boats, the sea and fishing.

"As well as being a fisherman, he was an excellent chef - his seafood dishes were out of this world. His tasty dishes will be missed, as will his overwhelming presence."

The search for the body will continue on an informal basis over the next few days with the word spread in fishing circles, via Harbour Radio, to keep an eye out for any sign of Mr. Outerbridge around the Island.

It is understood that in the next few weeks the family is planning to hold some form of memorial service.