Marvin C. Creamer
was born on January 24, 1916 and he died
following a brief illness, at 104 years of age on August 12, 2020.
With Marvin Creamer's death, the world lost not only one of its greatest
navigators, but a man who had most of the character qualities that we would look
for in a great person. He was intelligent and gifted, yet humble and unassuming.
He amassed many
awards, accolades and honors during his lifetime, but he set his sights on that
which good and correct regardless of the response of others. Creamer considered the success of his
efforts reward enough.
Captain Marvin Creamer successfully completed his
circumnavigation of the globe against all odds. Expert opinions called it "a
suicidal mission." The transponder that the Smithsonian Institute installed to
mark the Globe Star's location quit twice unknown to the crew. The international
news media reported him missing at sea, but he showed up in the next port of
call around the time that he had calculated.
The crew weathered severe storms and long periods of doldrums.
A fire in the galley during the first leg of his voyage nearly caused him to
cancel plans, but Creamer was able to make repairs and continue. Severe storms
with 40-foot waves beat on the Globe Star and it capsized twice with the mast
45% under water. Creamer suffered a dislocated shoulder and he persuaded a crew
to pull it back into place under much pain. The "indestructible" stainless steel
tiller snapped off in one storm. Creamer made temporary repairs and brought the
Globe Star safely to Grenada.
Several of his now famous quips show his
character. When a reporter asked the simple question, "How was the voyage?",
Marvin replied, "It was a jolly romp." Another reporter compared Creamer's
achievement to Astronaut Neil Anderson's moon walk of 1969. Creamer replied,
"Anderson's walk was 'a giant leap for mankind' but my voyage was a
small step
back."
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Marvin Creamer reached
the magical age of 100 on January 24, 2016. The photo below was taken shortly
before that occasion and is living proof that salt is a good
preservative!
Creamer is the only person in history who sailed around the world without the
use of navigational tools. No sextant, no compass, not even a watch! He did
permit an hourglass to measure watches, however.
www.furledsails.com
2 podcast interviews with Marvin Creamer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=167QBz4aXQo&feature=youtu.be
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTFwnsjyhuA
YouTube videos with Creamer uploaded by the Atria Senior Living Home where he spent his final
years and at Rowan University.
PowerPoint presentations that this webmaster created
for the 25-Year Celebration of Creamer's voyage:
Marvin Creamer's Bio (3MB)
Marvin Creamer's Historic Globe
Star Voyage (14MB)
Last updated: August 17, 2020
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