Liberty Call

Sailors Choice
"Liberty Call"
Aug. 27, 1998 - September 2000
Dana Point to Ziahuatnejo and back
Gene Crabb & Crew

 

Christmas 1998 - After a week or so in P.V., we headed south again to follow the warm weather.  We anchored and spent time in Ipala, Bahia Chamala and Tenacatita.  These are all beautiful spots where we could have spend days at anchor.  but we were meeting my (Gene's) daughter Lori and her family for Christmas at Barre de Navidad, so we had to pus on .We are very impressed with the kindness and friendliness of the Mexican people.
Our ten day stay at the Isle de Navidad Marina was perfect!  The marina is part of a five star hotel complex with golf course, pools, beach, etc, of which we had full use.  We had a very merry Christmas with family and friends: While there, Adagio repaired their refrigerator thanks to their guest Randi transporting the new unit. Randi stayed with our group for 7 days. 

12/9/98 in Puerta Vallarta at the Marina Vallarta. Nice place. Stayed in Vallarta for Fred & Patty to get their 20 year import permit and left there about the 4th.  Have had some great weather and some fun times and some rolly nights and winds to 25, but we had the reef in.  Trip across the Sea of Cortez to Mazatlan was probably the hardest part of the trip so far.  We find Banderas Bay very nice, stayed one night at San Cruz before getting to PV.  Saw the Canvas Connection, Karen is in Texas to see her MOM and Doug is in San Diego.  But, Leah and Mike are holding down the fort.  Found this cyber spot right in the marina so can be on line in a few minutes. Contact!  And the keyboard is not Spanish ....I had a terrible time in Mazatlan with the Spanish keyboard, as you can see.  They have a new Sam's club very near here, only open 12 days so far so we hope to get our Xmas dinner on board and we will be in Barre de Navidad with Gene's daughter Lori and her husband Dale and 4 kids -- plus Patty and Fred will be there with us, heard the cleats are polished every morning and look like gold.  Best to all, Mary
Captain's Note:  Upon arrival in Banderas Bay, we anchored at La Cruz which has a large cruiser population with a dinghy beach right next to a cruiser's bar and grill (how convenient!).  We will spend more time here later.  Marina Vallarta was as expected; busy, crowded, expensive; but you could find just about everything:  We have been able to stay in touch with homebase by using E-mail form Cyber Cafes, which we have found in most cities, and telephone using phone cards.

November 1998 - Mazatlan, Isla Isabella, San Blas, Chacala - Our trip across to Mazatlan was an over-nghter with 22-24 knot winds on the quarter which was uncomfortable but not a problem.  We arrived at Marina Mazatlan in time for Thanksgiving with Adagio.  The turkey survived the freezer trip down and with all the trimmings, was fabulous.  After a week in Mazatlan, we started down the west coast of mainland Mexico with stops at Isla Isabella (a bird sanctuary and nesting spot), San Blas (the start of mosquito territory), and Chacala where we found the ultimate beach palapa/lobster restaurant (lobster dinner for $7.00!)

Liberty call made it to Cabo on the 19th of November after a wonderful trip down.  We are ready to proceed to Mazatlan, but are waiting for ADAGIO to get refer parts. We hope to be in Mazatlan for Thanksgiving. We have finally joined the 20th century by finding this cyber cafe!! That's how we got all your messages, and the next contact will probably be through a similar connection.  Love to all from  Gene,  Mary,  and Wes
Captain's Note:  "After our pleasant transit down the west coast of Baja, we spent a few days in Cabo San Lucas soaking up the sun and swimming in 80 degree water!"

October 1998 - Gene took the boat down to San Diego and then on to Ensenada.  Mary drove down and met them after the haul-out and bottom job at Baja Naval was completed, bringing with her Gene's granddaughters and daughter for another festive bon voyage!  During their stay in Ensenada waiting for Adagio to fix an over-heating problem, they were home away from boat for the crew of Cat-Man-Do, stuck on the hard with rudder problems and no water.  Wes joined the crew and they're ready for the open seas!

September 1998 - The trip from Dana Point to San Francisco was a lot of fun according to Mary "Burro", long time friend of the Crabb's and crew aboard Liberty Call.  "We took it easy, stopping at night and giving the boat a good shake down during the day".  From all reports, they made Point Conception sound like a piece of cake.  Various DPYC club members and friends joined the voyage, for a few day, or a few ports.  They had a wonderful time in San Francisco, Gene attended his Academy reunion and the trip back south was the shake down in downhill sailing.  They arrived back in Dana Point, wiser and with a list of To-dos that is much shorter than expected.  Now, the final push is on to provision for Ensenada and points south and a round of bon voyage parties!

Liberty Call's itinerary for the next few months is as follows:
Aug. 27, 1998 - Depart Dana Point
Aug. 29-30 - King Harbor (Catalina 400 Rendezvous)
Sept. 2-3 - Santa Barbara
Sept. 5 - Morro Bay
Sept. 6-7 - Monterey
Sept. 8-9 - Santa Cruz and Halfmoon Bay
Sept. 10-25 - San Francisco Bay area (SFYC in Tiburon Sept. 14-16)
Sept. 26-Oct. 25 - Coastal Cruise to Ensenada
Oct. 26-29 - Haul out and bottom paint at Baja Naval, Ensenada
Nov. 1-15 - Coastal Cruise to Cabo San Lucas (approximate dates)
Nov. 20 - Mazatlan
Nov. 25 - Jan. 1999 - Cruising Mexico west coast to Ixtapa/Zihuatenejo
Jan. to June - Sea of Cortez
The crew will consist of Gene Crabb, Mary "Burro" and various others* for legs of the trip.
That's all for now.

August 98 - Well, it's August '98 and Gene has his hands full.  Between setting up his ham e-mail, making plans for a shake-down cruise later this month to San Francisco and a fall departure South, he is a busy man.

Liberty Call - Ensenada 1998July 1998- Without a permanent home slip, Gene has been seeing a lot of the coast. With the help of his "kids" and the grandchildren, friends and prospective crew like "TC" Christensen and his son, Dusty and Mary "Burro", he has done the Ensenada Race with a week of coastal gunk holing south of Todos Santos Bay, been to Catalina and San Diego many times and is doing the "pre-cruise thang", finding any bugs in the boat and working them out.

-Gene & Jan CrabbLate Spring 1998 - Here is the latest up-date on S/V LIBERTY CALL.  A year ago "Liberty Call", a Catalina 400, was renamed and christened at the Dana Point Yacht Club guest dock.  Since Jan's cancer seemed to be in remission, we planned to head south with the flock in November 1997.  But, the cancer did come back and took Jan from us on January 22, 1998.  The dream of cruising Mexican waters, although diminished by the loss of Jan, is still with me.

During the past few months, "Liberty Call" has acquired a water maker, solar panels, SSB radio, and many other cruising goodies and is about ready to go.  A shake down cruise to San Francisco (coinciding with my California Maritime Academy reunion) is planned."

Editors & Friends Note:  After a valiant struggle against lung cancer, Jan passed on in January and Gene will continue to fulfill their life time dream, living aboard and seeing the world.  We all miss her and the twinkle in her eyes and we support Gene in his voyages and wish both him and Liberty Call calm seas.

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