A frightening situation could have turned deadly. But because of quick and skillful maneuvering by crew members on Eagle Eye, several people on board a pinned sailboat were able to walk away from this ``terrifying experience.''

The U. S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 6-7, Miami's Coral Gables flotilla, was on patrol in May when this incident happened. Crew members Gary Ellis, Frank Ryba, Diane Haworth and Cheryl Brown were just starting to train in the Marine Stadium when they received the call.

According to Ellis, what happened to be a beautiful day quickly turned into one of the worst weather weekends seen in a long time. The wind was howling, hail the size of nickels were coming down and the seas were rough.

Eagle Eye was asked to respond to the report of a sailboat pinned up against the fishing bridge adjacent to the Rickenbacker Causeway bridge. When the call came in, the exact location of the sailboat was not clear, but Ellis had a good idea where it would be given the wind conditions.

His crew was on scene in less than five minutes after receiving the call.

''The boat was partially capsized and the wind was blowing more than 35 knots,'' Ellis said. ``The only reason the boat didn't completely capsize and go under the bridge is because a fisherman on top of the bridge was holding the mast by a line.''

The sailboat had already capsized once before the crew even got there. There was an injury that occurred to an older man because of it and another member lost his life jacket and did not have another one. A third younger person ``appeared terrified because he was just laying there with a glazed look over his face.''

''If we weren't there to help them, they would have drowned,'' Ellis said. ``These people were just terrified. We towed them to safety and kept an eye on them.''

Because of volunteer members of the flotilla, lives were saved that day. These people that give their time and train many hours to be a part of the auxiliary come away knowing they are giving back to their community in the large way.

''Ever since I was a teenager, I grew up as a commercial fisher on a shrimp boat,'' Ellis said.

``I thought I was a good seaman, but after I went to the classes that the flotilla does, I realized I didn't know as much as I thought and I learned how to do things the right way.''

The crew of Eagle Eye received an award from the U. S. Coast Guard for their brave actions that day.

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