THE Bunbury community is in shock this morning with the news that Willow Bridge Estate head winemaker Simon Burnell has died while windsurfing off the coast of Margaret River.
The 44-year-old was windsurfing off the coast of Prevelly Park, the "Bombie" surf break when he went missing.
He was last seen just before 5pm on Sunday.
Margaret River police and Margaret River SES searched the area throughout Sunday night and Monday morning, despite being hampered by a large swell and strong winds.
Police confirmed they had found his body at 6.30am on Monday in water near Rivermouth Point.
Mr Burnell began working as the chief winemaker at the popular Dardanup winery in 2010.
He was a passionate member of Bunbury’s X2Y community, a group which brought together members of the X and Y generations keen to make a difference in the city.
The talented winemaker was awarded the Nicholas Baudin Trophy for excellence in winemaking at the 2014 Geographe Wine Show.
Willow Bridge Estate owners Jeff and Vicki Dewar posted on their company Facebook page to pay tribute to Mr Burnell.
"Today we tragically lost not only our highly respected Senior Winemaker, but also a valued friend to us and the entire Willow Bridge family," the post read.
"Simon was not only determined to make the best possible wines, his dedication and tireless commitment to what he called his ‘one percenters’ has ensured the Willow Bridge brand continues to be respected worldwide and for that we will be forever grateful.
We are thankful to have had Simon be such an integral part of our team for over 5 years and he will be missed beyond words.
Our thoughts, love and prayers are with Linda and all of Simon’s family at this tragic and deeply sorrowful time."
Margaret River State Emergency Services deputy local manager Lewis Hawkins said the crew were out until after midnight and again at 5am Monday morning.
"It's tough and it definitely impacts the volunteers, particularly the younger ones," Mr Hawkins said.
He said his team would be contacted by a chaplain in coming days.
Members of the close-knit wine community flooded social media with tributes to the talented winemaker.
Freelance wine writer Nick Ryan said he first met Mr Burnell as a teenager as they "mixed in similar circles" while growing up in Adelaide.
"He was a really clever guy, a thoughtful winemaker. He had an interest in a lot of things, he had an interesting brain," he said.
"I think that's what made him a great winemaker. He wasn't just stuck on what was happening in the winery, he actually took an interest in what was happening in the world.
"It's such a shock. I was constantly seeing pictures of him surfing and in the water. He was an Adelaide boy always talking about how lucky he felt in the West being able to work somewhere where he could get in the water, which is sadly ironic."
- Brendan Foster, Candice Barnes and Jemillah Bickerton
