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Skipper Dave is obsessed by the sea


21 Nov 2018 | Last update: 23 Dec 2020

You could say I have a one track mind. The sea. But it's not a narrow track. The sea is big and a lifetime is not enough to encompass it.

My relationship with the sea started in childhood. I was a voracious reader, and my favourite books were adventures on the sea. Whether true stories or fiction, I couldn't get enough of that stuff.

Not coming from a family with a background on the sea, nor having bundles of spare cash lying around to indulge expensive hobbies, it took a while before I owned my first boat. But in 2008, I sold my house, bought the most beautiful boat I could find, and set off on an adventure voyage around the UK and then onwards to the Mediterranean. And I've been here ever since.

For most of the year I teach Mediterranean Oceanography, Climate Change, and other environmental science courses to international undergraduate students spending a year in Barcelona. When the students go home in the spring, I leave the lecture hall and take to the sea, sharing a few hours on the water with guests from all over the world. It's a hard life, but hey, someone has to do it!

My teaching keeps me grounded in the bigger picture. On a sparkling summer day sailing on the Mediterranean it can seem like the world is in great shape. The truth is, we're edging closer and closer to the tipping point where the pressures of our modern lifestyle are pushing the ecosystem to its limits. The signs are clear, for those with eyes to see. We call these people scientists, and we better start listening to them before it's too late. The consequences of ignoring their warnings will not be visited on us, but on our children.

But it's not all doom and gloom. The science also shows us that nature is resilient. Nature has the capacity to support the lifestyles we want, but we need to step up to the challenge and control the worst excesses of our resource-stripping industries. History will judge our generation for the choices we make right now. It's daunting, and invigorating, to be alive at such a momentous time.

What our customers say

Over 250 ★★★★★ reviews

TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence & Hall of Fame 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019

Awesome afternoon in the sunshine!

I booked classic sail Barcelona for my friend's hen do so that we could enjoy an afternoon sailing along the coast making the most of the beautiful weather. The trip was exactly what we were hoping for. Dani, our skipper was fantastic. We brought on our own drink and food and we could play music and games and make ourselves at home. When the hen got sea sick (more than likely induced by the level of drinking the night before) Dani was great. He got her up to steer the boat and get out of the sun which made her feel a million times better. It was the perfect trip. If only we'd booked for the whole day or for another trip the next day. Maybe next time!
Vicky K |

Fantastic Afternoon

We had an amazing time with Cptn. Dave. It was the most relaxing part of our busy trip, and absolutely beautiful. There was not much wind when we went out, but we didn't care. It was comfortable and the views of the city were great. I'd like to be on that boat again, right now. Highly recommend, and the cost was reasonable and worth every cent.
juliebirditis | Bakersfield, California

Charming Boat with a friendly skipper

I thoroughly a 3 hour cruise with Captain Dave on board Gemini. The boat oozes charm and is really interesting in its setup. As someone who only recently started sailing, i had an amazing time chatting with Captain Dave. Even thiugh the wind was very light, i had a great time. Highly recommended
Aquanauticaldbn | Durban, South Africa

Beautiful

A beautiful sailing trip with a great skipper :). Nice sailing boat , I had a very cool experience on sea.
Ioan C |

All add my 5 star review to our sunset sail

One of the nicest things we did while in Barcelona and that's saying quite a bit. It was just really relaxing, literally smooth sailing and great views of the city. The Gemini was easy to find - less than a 10 Euro cab ride from the Gotic Quarter. We booked the sunset cruise as a private sail for our wedding anniversary. It may be helpful to know that David is Scottish so it was, for us, a plus to have a native English speaking guide.
dogs_in_heaven | Berlin, Maryland

Great views and friendly captain

This was our first morning in Barcelona after a week of travels. It sure was nice to get out on the water and see this beautiful city from a unique perspective. So relaxing just being out on the water. My girlfriend and I had the boat to ourselves and Dave gave us the space to enjoy each other's company. He was always available to answer any questions but did not intrude. We stopped for a short swim and the water was nice and refreshing. I printed out the map from Dave's web site and handed it to our taxi driver. He dropped us off less than 3 minutes away from the boat. Super easy to get to.
Brian M | Galveston Island, Texas

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