Boat U.S. - September 2008 - (Page 24)

Towers to the Rescue July 3rd was just another day at the office for Capt. Rick Ellenberg of TowBoatU.S. Beach Haven, NJ, until he overheard a young lady’s voice on VHF radio Ch. 16 telling the Coast Guard that her parents “went overboard.” It was a little past 2 p.m. on the blustery day, and as he listened, a serious situation unfolded. Along with the girl on the now skipper-less family cruiser were three other siblings, all in their early teens. Their parents were being swept away by an outgoing tide, and each minute counted. None of the teens could operate the boat nor the chartplotter to give the Coast Guard crucial location information. As the Coast Guard initiated its Rescue 21 direction-finding system, Capt. Ellenberg and another nearby towboat began a coordinated search pattern by listening to clues the girl was giving to the watch stander. After a false start, Ellenberg was first to come upon the boat, which was being pushed by 25-knot winds in the opposite direcBoatU.S. Magazine September 2008 Capt. Tom Fleischhauer of TowBoatU.S. North Miami, FL says it’s often too late to turn back when heading out of Haulover Inlet. tion of the drifting parents. As he pulled up, the kids pointed to where they last saw their parents, before they disappeared from view. Ellenberg quickly found the couple alive but battered by waves, and tossed them a life-saving line. With its lower freeboard, the other towboat that had arrived took the parents aboard while Ellenberg safely towed the kids on the cruiser back to port. Ellenberg says the day could have turned tragic, but, “the kids didn’t panic, and they stayed on the radio the whole time,” he said. In another scary incident in June, Capt. Tom Fleischhauer of TowBoatU.S. North Miami, FL, was called by lifeguards who witnessed a 20-foot center console with four aboard turn turtle in rough seas at the infamous Haulover Inlet. As the vessel aborted an attempt at the inlet it flipped, spilling everyone into the water. All four were in life jackets but were now being swept out to sea along with two heroic lifeguards who had jumped in and secured the group together. Two of the passengers were young children approximately 5 and 6 years old.

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Boat U.S. - September 2008

Boat U.S. - September 2008 Contents Behind The Buoy BoatU.S. Reports Member Forum List Locker Aluminum Can Do Cruising in Crossovers Second Guessing Seasonal Forecasts A Cradle for Your Baby Badlands Boating The Inns and Outs of Penobscot Bay All in the Family: The Butler Did It Stealing Back Peace of Mind DIY Boat Owner Files Good Foundations Boat Smart 2nd Time Around Hot Tips Tangled Line Seaworthy Ask Chuck At Your Service BoatU.S. Exchange Behind the Boat Where Our Flags Fly

Boat U.S. - September 2008

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