The Ontario man who died this week in Colchester County, N.S., after his kayak flipped was an experienced kayaker, RCMP say.

Corey Matthew Morris, 31, of Perth, Ont., was with three other professional kayakers when the kayak overturned, and he went over a waterfall on the Bass River.

The four had been planning to walk around the waterfall before the accident.

Morris's body was found beside his kayak on a small island at the mouth of the river Thursday morning.

Friends told police Morris was wearing a survival suit and a dry suit underneath, and a life-jacket, helmet and elbow pads.

The other men, believed to be in their 20s or early 30s, are from Halifax, Truro and Washington state.

They were kayaking their way downriver in rain-swollen and fast-flowing water. Conditions were described as treacherous, said Sgt. Al Affleck of Bible Hill RCMP.

With heavy rain, high winds and deep ravines to contend with, search teams were unable to head out Wednesday night. The search for Morris began at first light Thursday morning.

"It was too high a risk in that terrain to put search and rescue along the river. We're not talking just walking beside a friendly flowing river." said Affleck. "It's extremely dangerous."

A Cormorant helicopter from Greenwood was called in to recover Morris's body.

Police said they don't know how he died. His body has been sent to Halifax to determine the cause of death.

Police originally reported Thursday that Morris was from Springhill, N.S. He lived in Ontario, but was originally from Hants County, N.S.