A Brief History- January through June, 2005

January 1 and 2 - The S/V Creola  is christened in a shared dedication by all members of the family.

January 1- Hanging out at the Best Western Hotel in Ensenada, Mexico. This happened to be the same hotel that Jennifer got stuck in the elevator in 1994. That's Linda, David, Zach, Darlene, Lisa and Jeremy enjoying a cool beverage.

Dinner at the El Morro. Nathan slept while we celebrated. Nonie and Papa stayed with the grandchildren while the "kids" explored the nightlife of Ensenada's Gringo Gulch. What goes on the Ensenada... you know how it goes.



Rumbling with Balloons

The dedication and naming of Creola is
shared by all while standing on the dock at Cruiseport Village Marina. 

Linda smashes a bottle of champagne across the anchors of Creola.

Abby gives a toast to Creola with her sparkling apple cider.

The dedicating gang gathers on deck. Back row: Jennifer, Brian, Kira, Jeremy, Lisa, Darlene and Danny. Middle Row: Bill, Linda Michelle, Nick, Shauna and David Front Row: Zachary, Abby, Kirsten, Nathan, Julia and Keegan.  

 

Heading Back To The US . The Pink Bus arrived to take our family back to the US while Linda and Bill stayed behind to prepare Creola to sail to San Diego.


                                                             






                                                           The Blessing of Creola

January 2, 2005

We name you Creola

Sailing vessel of great spirit and pride

Sailing vessel of our dreams

Sailing vessel for all to enjoy

You sail on the contributions of many

Our parents

Our children

Our teachers

Our friends

And those who designed, built

And prepared you

We give thanks to all

May you provide all with safe passage

May you be a source of nourishing and exciting meals

May you simultaneously be home and world explorer

May you be school for children and adults all

May you create lifelong memories

May you grace everyone with the spirit of adventure, peace and joy

May our children, grandchildren and friends frequent your decks

May we experience continued health and ever-growing love within your care

Creola you are a spicy kind of life

Creola you are in our soula

We love you

Bon Voyage

February 3, 2005: Creola departs Ensenada for San Diego and final fitting

On Bill's Mother's Birthday, Creola  takes the overnight sail to San Diego. She will stay in San Diego for 4 months while the Bauer Jr II dive compressor is installed and other preparations are made. We spent about one month at the Police Dock and moving about San Diego. Here we met the owners and builders of Sarabi and a lasting friendship began. This is Sarabi, underway.

Barry and Karen enjoy a laugh at the 1630 Club.

February 15, Creola gets her "permanent berth" at the Kona Kai Marina on Shelter Island. During this time, the 1630 Club is formed, thanks to two cats, Tack and Gybe from the S/V Terra Firma. "I'm gonna kick a little kitty ass." Photos to come

During our stay in San Diego, we were visited by Jill Sorenson and her family.

    

Denise and Jack joined us, as well. 










Richard and Janet came from southern California.

   

KK and Richard, from WestEd and Nick and Ed from Palm Springs visited Creola. That's Jeremy, Lisa, Bergen and Remy with the gang.

Michelle, Nick, Julia and Nathan enjoyed sunny San Diego.  

Brian, Kira, Keegan and Kirsten and Dan all paid a visit.

Remy and Bergen along with Lisa and Jeremy joined us, too. 

March 18: Creola returns to Ensenada and the Voyage Begins

June 2, 0800 hrs: Creola departs Ensenada for the Sea of Cortez  
We are escorted out of Ensenada by Bad Attitude, Gary and Jeannie aboard. Photos to come.

June 4: Arrival in Turtle Bay
June 6: Arrival Bahia Asuncion
June 7: Arrival Bahia Abreojos
June 9: Arrival Bahia Santa Maria
June 10: Arrival Bahia Magdallena
June 12: Arrival Cabo Falso

June 13: Arrival Cabo San Lucas
June 16: Arrival Frailes
June 20: Arrival Muertos
June 21: Arrival La Ventana
June 22: Arrival Tecolote
June 23: Arrival La Paz
June 24: Arrival Cardonel
June 26: Arrival Isla San Jose
June 28: Arrival Evaristo
June 29: Arrival "The Wall" with Maverick

A Brief History- July through December, 2004

August- David, Shauna, Zachary and Shauna's mother visit in San Diego at the police dock. Creola is still white.

August- San Diego:
Keegan and Shane play
Peek-A-Boo through the Galley port

Papa and baby Kirsten both take a little snooze.












Eric and Julie visit Ensenada
Hydrating to avoid the heat;

Eric and Linda with Corona

Julie and Bill with just H2O. Yes, that's a CSLA Convocation Backpack on Bill's back.

Herman and Claudine, aboard the Hylas 46, Bijou, sailed to Ensenada. While there, we sailed together and "raced" in the gentle late summer breezes.

Bijou Goes to Weather

Creola displays her gennaker. 




 September- Hylas Rendezvous, Catalina Island, California. Photos to Come

October Through December- Cruiseport Village marina, Ensenada, Mexico 


December 31- San Diego, California and Ensenada, Mexico. Are You Ready To Christen?

The Martin and Bonfilio families arrive at San Diego. Two flights, one from San Jose, the other from Sacramento arrived within minutes of each other. Julia gets a ride to the bus.



Linda and Bill were shocked when a full-sized bus picked them up in Ensenada to meet family members arriving at the San Diego Airport.
We had anticipated a large van, but that was not the case. 

You should have seen to looks we got at the border, when two people stepped from a bus to go through immigration. Oh yeah, then there was the water cooler full of maragaitas on board. 









Here we are after singing "The Wheels On The Bus Go 
'Round and 'Round."    Zachary did harmony....he's the musician in the family.

New Years Eve in Ensenada was next. Sergio had prepared lots of Mexican food, a fire was lit and we all gathered to make sure we had enough food to soak up the margaritas and Tecate. Pace ourselves...no way!

A Brief History- January through June, 2004

January Through March- Cruiseport Village Marina, Ensenada, Mexico

April- Sailfest Boat Show, Alameda, California

May Through August- Cruiseport Village Marina, Ensenada, Mexico

A Brief History- The Year 2003

Creola, as she was ultimately named, was ordered new from Hylas Yachts USA in August, 2002. Creola is a Sparkman-Stevens designed cutter rig and is 49 feet long with a beam of 14'6".

 

While being built in The Queen Long Boat Yard in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, we waited patiently for almost a year. Three boats are almost ready for delivery under the shed.






Date: April, 2003

We were able to visit Taiwan while she was under construction. This is our first view of her floating in the test tank at Queen Long; no mast, no lifelines and pure white.

Those who worked to build Creola gather on her deck. Joseph, owner of Queen Long,  ala Leonardo DeCaprio, stands on the bow as "King of the World". This photograph became Queen Long's 2003 Christmas card. 

Date: June 1, 2003


Carefully she was lowered from the deck of The Star Bettina into the bay at Long Beach, California. We waited with, Dave Powers, the representative of Hylas Yachts and followed his leap aboard to begin the long motor to Marina del Rey where she was to be commissioned.

 


Date: July 18, 2003

Offshore delivery of Creola, with Dave and Peggy Powers aboard. Fully commisioned and ready to sail. She is finally ours! Creola at a dock, much to small, in Marina del Rey.

Date: July 19, 2003 

Maiden Voyage to Catalina Island with Sally, Glenn, Lisa and Jeremy aboard. Notice that there is no dodger or bimini and everyone is busy trying to figure out this new boat.

The Casino at Catalina












July - At the Police Dock in Newport Beach Harbor

Date: August, 2003 - San Diego, California: David, Shauna and her mother visit with Zachary.





Shane and Keegan play Peek-a-Boo through the galleu port.

Papa and Kirsten share a little snooze in the cockpit

Date: September 3, 2003

Baja Naval Yard, Ensenada, Mexico

Creola begins the process of becoming blue: Flag blue with red and white waterlines and gold accent stripe. Here she is in lovely grey primer awaiting Awlgrip color coats.

Complete with a new dodger and bimini and bottom paint, too, Creola  is ready for the upcoming photoshoot for Hylas Yachts USA. 








October 23, 2003

Off the coast of Ensenada, Mexico, Kyle Jachney of Hylas Yachts USA, shoots 400 photographs of Creola  while underway. From these photos the advertisement for the Hylas 49 is created and published in Crusing World, Sail  and many other boating publications. Aboard, once again, was our friend and adviser, Dave Powers, Peg, and two future Hylas 49 owners, Mike and Linda of Aquila.  As far as we know, Linda is the first female at the wheel in a Hylas advertisement. As you can see, Bill was really upset.

The next few months passed peacefully with Creola tucked safely in Cruiseport Village Marina in downtown Ensenada.

We cared for her each weekend while we supported the Mexican economy  by consuming copious quantities of fish tacos, Corona and tequila.









December, 2003         Creola spends the holidays in San Diego.

After an overnight sail from Ensenada to San Diego, Creola found a berth at the police dock and prepared to welcome friends.

Bob Riefe sails Creola outside San Diego Bay. Bob and Judy were joined by Bob's parents, Donald and Gloria from Jamestown, RI. Donald enjoyed revisiting the site of his Navy Seal training off Pt. Loma. 

 
Judy hauls the genoa sheet as Creola goes to weather.  As the clothing shows, it was cool in San Diego.   




We know that we were joined by Michelle, Nick, Julia and Nathan in San Diego. Lisa and Jeremy also played with us, as did Suzie and Richard.   

We cannot locate photographs of those visits. If you have some, please send them to us so we can update the end of 2003. We need help with photos here!