From Surf to Soul: The 40-Year Journey That Built Wild Earth Stays
Where Were You in ’82?
In 1982, I was not chasing a career. I was chasing waves and freedom. I packed my surfboard in my small Hollywood, Florida home, hugged my parents goodbye, and boarded a flight to Eleuthera, a wild and little-known island in the Bahamas. The board barely fit on the plane, but somehow it made the journey with me.
What greeted us was not a resort or a curated destination. It was pure nature. Raw, untouched, unforgettable. Gregory Town was a sleepy village with a single bakery, welcoming faces, and a rhythm shaped by the ocean’s tide. And then we found it: Surfer’s Beach.
Down a dirt path, past brush and palms, a hidden cave perched above the break became our home for a week. No Wi-Fi. No schedule. No distractions. Just the sound of surf, the shimmer of stars, and a few pots and pans to cook simple meals. That moment changed everything.
It was not just a surf trip. It was an awakening to the wild beauty of the world. And it was there, on the cliffs of Eleuthera, that the seed for Wild Earth Stays was unknowingly planted: a vision of connection, simplicity, and sustainable adventure that would guide the next forty years.
The Spark Behind Wild Earth Stays
That week in Eleuthera stayed with me long after the waves faded. Something inside me shifted. It was not only the thrill of surfing remote breaks. It was the feeling of being completely alive in a place untouched by time.
That moment became the spark that changed my path. I began to understand that travel, when approached with humility and curiosity, could be more than an escape. It could be a way back to ourselves.
For decades, I chased that same feeling across the planet. From quiet surf towns in Costa Rica to the rice terraces of Bali, from the desert dunes of Morocco to the misty mountains of Peru, I searched for places that still pulsed with wild energy. Places where the land teaches and time slows.
Every journey whispered the same truth: the Earth holds its wild heart. We just need to go where it beats the loudest.
Wild Earth Stays was created for travelers who seek something deeper than luxury. For those who crave meaning, authenticity, and the chance to experience the world as it truly is: wild, beautiful, and alive.
That truth grew into a vision. And that vision became Wild Earth Stays. A platform born from a lifetime of exploration and a belief that travel should leave the world better than we found it.
A Vision: Travel That Transforms
WildEarthStays.com is not a booking site. It is a movement, a bridge connecting travelers with the world’s most meaningful places. We curate eco-conscious stays, immersive experiences, and sustainable journeys for those who seek connection, not convenience.
It is built for people who believe:
Luxury is space and silence.
Adventure begins where Wi-Fi ends.
Travel is a way back to yourself.
Every stay on WildEarthStays.com is chosen for its cultural integrity, commitment to community, and dedication to conservation. It is about balance, about human comfort woven into the untamed spirit of place.
40 Years in the Making
Wild Earth Stays is the culmination of every wave chased, every jungle trek, every sunrise coffee brewed over an open flame. It is my way of giving back to the planet that has given me everything through travel that heals instead of harms.
From a cave above Surfer’s Beach to an online platform connecting travelers to the wild, this journey has been a four-decade-long ride of curiosity, courage, and care.
So go bold.
Go off the map.
And remember: your next story is waiting in the wild.
“It is not just about where you go. It is about what the Earth shows you when you arrive.”
James Papagno, Founder of Wild Earth Stays
