The body of James P. O’Brien, 47,  was identified Wednesday by State Police.  He had apparently drowned in the Hubbard Brook in Grandville State Forest.  O’Brien was from Westfield.

According to State Police Lt. David Wilson, O’Brien was located in a remote area of the forest Tuesday afternoon.

O’Brien was a teacher at Roger L. Putnam Vocational Technical High School in Springfield.

Trooper Gary Fitzgerald suggested that O’Brien drowned after a kayaking accident. He was kayaking with friends on Hubbard Brook .  O’Brien was known as one of the most skilled, experienced and safety conscious white water kayakers in the area by many in the Western Massachusetts kayaking community.  O’Brien had a passion for whitewater rafting that was only matched by the love of teaching his students at Putnam.

O’Brien was described by Kevin McCaskill, Putnam principal, as “a consumate professional and just beautiful man.” He said O’Brien was “great, great with students, always engaging.”

O’Brien and teacher Daniel M. Meehan ran the school’s Putnam Outdoor Adventure Club. They took students whitewater rafting, kayaking, fishing, mountain biking, cross country skiing, camping and rock climbing.