About Us
We transform people and their relationship with the sea by creating memorable experiences that merge education and entertainment.
Our beliefs guide us in all that we do
Transformation
We are witnesses to the transformative power of experiences at sea and their importance for our emotional and intellectual development.
Curiosity
We need to know and understand more about the sea today and we will do everything we can to bring it closer to you.
Respect
The sea teaches us respect for what is stronger than us and the importance of extending respect to the natural world.
Our Story
Meet the Sea was born from our founder Gregorio’s realisation of the power of the sea in his own life and his commitment to sharing his message with others.
Beginnings
My grandmother Cristina von Waldenfels arrived in Ibiza in 1955 and built the still existing Hostal La Torre in 1964. It is in the rocks at the foot of the hostal that I learned to swim and started snorkelling. The sea urchins of Punta galera and the octopi near Cala Gracioneta are my earliest memories at sea. I also remember my grandmother at sunset beginning to prepare dinner for her guests as the sun began to disappear near Sa conillera and the fishing boats returned to port with their rhythmic engines and the seagulls chasing their overflowing catch. It all seems so perfect and unreal now. And yet it is a perfection I wish I could share with everyone.
From an early age I cared for underwater animals and creatures that were not mine, felt angry when the sea was less than perfectly clean due to our lack of care. I feared the monstruous waves of winter yet I felt fascinated by them. I swam out of the water petrified by what I had seen through a mask I took when my parents were not looking. Huge rocks, seaweed and a jellyfish. I did not get back in the water for weeks.
Ecstasy, trauma, respect, fear, the sea has given me all of these. And the part of good I have in me comes largely from what I learned at sea.
At the age of 50, I had a realisation: that I had a message to share with children and young adults about how to enjoy life more fully with the sea.
Our family Boat trip began as my desire to share the importance and impact that the sea has had on my life even as I was far removed from it in places where there was no sea. The sea goes with you.
Our future
The success of our Family boat trip over the past five years has been unexpected and larger than we ever expected. The impact on children, teenagers and parents that we witness daily means that we must extend our experience to others.
We will give more opportunities to inquisitive minds from schools and universities who want to enjoy and learn more about the sea.
It is their turn to write their own story with the sea and we are here to hold their hand.
A message from our founder
The sea remains largely unknown to human beings because it is not sufficiently present during our formative years. We are trying to make a small contribution to rectify that omission through our sea experiences.
Families, students and adults have specific areas within Meet the Sea to develop their comfort at sea and grow their curiosity and knowledge about our oceans.
As founder of Meet the Sea, I want to thank my family for taking me to the sea from birth and granting me the privilege of being born in this wonderful island. My special gratitude to Luisa Minguez, Helena Margot and Carlos Recarte for believing in my vision from the start. And to all those who contributed to Meet the Sea with their work and smile: Vincent Ledoux, Chef Bruno, Jessica Sanchez Traicovich, Aina Mayo, Patricia Rodriguez de los Ríos, Sandra Valero, Carlos Rentería, Etienne and my nephews Uma y Theo.
Our team is convinced that the work we do makes a difference. Every day.