On a wooden bench at the South end of Crystal Ave., a man sat, as he often did, swirling a glass of wine, taking in the cloudless sky and peaceful waters of Newport Harbor. He watched as the boats in the BYC mooring field pirouetted gracefully in the gently shifting wind and tide, bathed in the late day golden glow of another, epic Balboa Island sunset. He drank it all in, reveling in the beauty of the moment. His thankful revery was interrupted by a strangely familiar voice, “Hey, you can’t do that here!” He looked up, surprised to see the face of a friend he had not seen for some time, a wry smile spreading across her face, and a playful gleam in her eye. “I don’t think you understand,” he said, “This is Balboa Island.” In that moment, the trajectory of two lives were altered, and the bench at the end of Crystal would become an integral part of a future they never could have imagined. This is Balboa Island; wonderful things happen here!

 

Collin Cumbee grew up on a lake in Michigan, where he learned to sail; a sport he loved in his youth. His family moved to Alabama, where he graduated with honors from Auburn University in 1989. He moved to California and has three adult sons, Josh, Justin, and Jeremy, who are all married in the LA area, with his first granddaughter on the way. He is the owner of SteepleGroup Consulting, a fractional CFO consulting firm he started after serving in CFO roles in the construction industry. He has also served as a part time pastor throughout his career, achieving a Masters in Philosophy of Religion at Talbot, graduating magna cum laude.

 

Collin’s wife, Daniela, grew up in Duarte, a small town in LA, where food and family were everything. Raised in a tight-knit Italian household, she learned to cook from her Nona and bake bread like her Nono—both raised in WWII-era Italy, where every meal was sacred. “Food is our love language,” she says. She is a second-generation Italian and mother of two: her daughter, Aubrianna, and her son, Liam, who now rests with Jesus. That tragic loss changed her path; she returned to school, earned her BA in Digital Marketing from FIDM, graduating with high honors, followed by her master’s from USC, graduating summa cum laude. Based on Daniela’s capstone project at USC, she launched Fair Winds Charter Company. Outside of work, she enjoys life as a wife and mother and loves being part of the close-knit Little Island community. She's a proud member of the Crystal Hens, a group of women from Crystal Ave. who gather to share good food, wine, and great company.

Collin moved to Balboa Island in 2020. “I love Balboa Island,” he says, “I immediately felt like I was at home, with a special affinity for the Little Island. I would often walk the island and pray, asking God to allow me, one day, to buy an original beach cottage on the Little Island. This was my dream.” He had no idea how quickly those prayers would be answered. He rediscovered his love for sailing here, brushing up on his nautical skills at OCC School of Sailing. Collin booked a charter with his kids on a coastal cruise and experienced for the first time the joy and relaxation of sailing on a large, luxury catamaran. After reconnecting with Daniela, he shared his love of sailing with her, just as he had with his sons and their wives. The two became inseparable. After their wedding, they ventured to Puerto Vallarta and bought a 45-foot catamaran which they named Nepenthe (Greek for comfort or forgetfulness of sorrows).

 

On that same bench, Collin proposed to Daniela. They were married in 2022, and they secured a lease on an original beach cottage in the 100 block of Crystal Ave. “We loved it immediately,” Daniela says. “It is small, rustic, all original, and so incredibly charming! We felt so blessed to be able to move in.” Through a miraculous series of events, they had the unexpected opportunity to purchase the property.

 

Their cottage was originally owned by the Gram family, built in 1927. “We're close with Virginia and Pam Gram, and Virginia has shared heartfelt stories about the home—memories built over generations. Virginia’s father-in-law, Andrew Gram, laid the foundation of the very cottage we now call home,” said Daniela. From their front yard, they can see the bench at the end of their street, and Nepenthe dancing in the mooring field beyond. Collin and Daniela run their charter company together, combining business with their passion for sailing. You can learn more about their charter company at www.fairwindscharterco.com.  

 

Their daughter, Aubrianna, attends Lincoln and plays soccer with grit and heart, recently earning a spot on the Newport Beach All-Star team. Known as the “wall” on defense, she was named Defensive MVP. “The ball doesn’t get past her,” her coach said. “If Aubrianna’s on the field, your forwards better be ready to work.” 

On many evenings, as the sun is setting, Collin and Daniela often stroll together to the end of Crystal and relax on that same bench, glasses of wine in hand, taking in the peaceful waters of Newport Harbor, bathed in the golden glow of another, epic sunset. This is Balboa Island; wonderful things happen here!