Meet your coastal ambassadors

I started sailing at the age of 5 on small and light sailboats like the Optimist, Laser, or 420. I was fortunate to be able to enjoy the strength and sailing ability of a Dufour 40, a 12-meter sailboat with excellent sailing qualities.

For years, I have participated in regattas along the Cantabrian coast, from Hondarribia to Gijón, winning numerous local trophies and leagues.

At the age of 8, I made my first overnight sailing trip. From the port of La Rochelle (France) to Zumaia (Gipuzkoa), with winds of 15 to 25 knots. We arrived at port after 36 hours of sailing, and all I could think about was doing it again, feeling the boat, the strength, the tension of the lines, the sound of the waves, the whistling wind, and us trying to keep the boat upright after each tack.

This great passion I feel for the sea has led me, from a very young age, to know that I wanted to dedicate myself to showing others what I have been fortunate to experience all my life.

That’s why I decided to create Spirit Experiences. Creating luxury sailing experiences combined with the most curious cultural and gastronomic aspects that the Basque lands offer us.

Since then, I organize exclusive experiences, setting sail with Spirit to discover the Basque Country in the hands of local sailors.

I was born and raised in the city of Liverpool, England. It was there where I started sailing and developed my passion for the sea and sailing.

At the age of 24, I met the person who later became my wife and mother of my two children, including Jon (ambassador of Spirit Experiences). She is a native Basque, and because of her, I traveled to San Sebastián to meet her family.

The reality is that, upon arriving in the Basque Country, I discovered a dreamlike place that captivated and enchanted me from the first minute with its mountainous landscapes, coasts, incredible cliffs, history, and local traditions, in addition to one of the key factors: the exquisite local cuisine.

I found a place that had everything I was looking for, and I didn’t want to let it go. Since then, I have been living in the city of San Sebastián.

Once settled here, I continued with my professional work as a builder and maintained what was, and still is, my greatest hobby: sailing.

Sailing the Basque coast, I discovered some of the most incredible landscapes and people who are now great friends.

I have enjoyed this passion for more than 40 years, and the time has come to share it with the rest of the people who visit the Basque Country and want to experience it from a new perspective through a completely personalized and unique experience that will activate their five senses.