Where do I begin? This is one of the most important moments in my life - proposing to my future wife. Choosing Spencer/Sunswept Sailing for this moment was perfect. He called me the day before and first asked if we expected to get married (a fair question considering a surprise out at sea might be dangerous, lol). He asked if there was any music to put on for our ride - classic rock was a great choice. We arranged to meet at 6 PM and play off the sunset cruise as a birthday surprise as opposed to a proposal - she bought it completely. We got lucky and were able to see a mother whale and calf traveling north for the first 30 minutes of the trip. It was fun hearing Spencer communicate with the other vessels on the radio to let them know there was a whale nearby. Spencer coordinated to where about 45 minutes in as we headed back south to the harbor (and away from other boats) to go up to the front of the boat for the big moment. He used his own phone to take photos and video of the moment I proposed (afterwards airdropping them to my phone which was very considerate). The timing was great, but even afterwards Spencer was hanging off the sail and getting the wildest angles of us as a newly engaged couple - a true testament of how considerate and beyond words he was to make this moment special. He kindly opened champagne and poured us a couple glasses to celebrate as we nestled in near the harbor and enjoyed the moment - accompanied by dolphins and a beautiful sunset. I am without words for how perfect this day was. Spencer was the best captain and truly a gem of a human for making this proposal special. He truly made everything work perfectly. I guarantee we will be back for another boat ride with him. Thanks a million, Spencer! read more

See all

We booked a private sunset sail with SunSwept Sailing while visiting Santa Barbara, and it ended up being one of the highlights of our trip. Captain Spencer was friendly, knowledgeable, and incredibly thoughtful. He arranged a delicious local charcuterie board for us, had warm blankets ready as the evening cooled off, and even captured the most amazing photos of us so we could simply enjoy the experience. We sailed aboard Kelpie, spotted sea lions, and watched a breathtaking sunset over the Santa Barbara Harbor. If you're looking for a romantic date, celebrating a special occasion, or just want one of the best things to do in Santa Barbara, I can't recommend SunSwept Sailing enough. We'll definitely book another charter the next time we're in town! read more

See all

We scattered our sons ashes at sea, so our experience was solemn. Captain Spencer was gracious and well-prepared for our experience. Would I recommend him to others similarly situated? Absolutely. He knows what he is doing and is a thoughtful guide to a difficult experience. read more

SunSwept Sailing - Boat Charters Near Me

We booked a sunset cruise to celebrate my daughter's birthday. Captain Spencer helped us customize our trip so it met the needs of family members who are older as well as one who is pregnant and one who is susceptible to seasickness. We all had a wonderful time. Captain Spencer is very knowledgeable about the Santa Barbara Channel so he was able to point out wildlife in the water as well as landmarks on shore. The sunset was memorable, and we returned to shore after dark feeling serene and refreshed. Highly recommend. read more

I highly recommend this experience for all ages. Group of six or romantic experience for two. Or friends and family experience. We took a two hour sunset cruise on the Kelpie with Captain Spencer. Family, daughters, boyfriends and granddaughters. What fun for all. Spencer is a great resource of all information about Santa Barbara, the ocean, ocean life, and all surrounding areas. He handles the sailboat flawlessly and has a sense of humor; with our crowd that is a requirement. Looking for a fun ocean experience highly recommended. You will not be disappointed. Options of food and drinks available. We would do this again. read more

See all

We had such a beautiful day sailing with Spencer. We are an older couple celebrating my 70th birthday. He made sure that we could comfortably get in and out of the boat easily. I was surprised by fresh flowers on the table that made my day. He was very engaging and informative. We highly recommend SunSwept Sailing read more

SunSwept Sailing - Sitting on the sailboat with fresh flowers and our charcuterie board with wine. - Boat Charters Near Me

See all

We had an amazing time!! The boat was extremely charming and clean and the captain was a fantastic host!!!! We loved it and will be calling on him again! read more

We had an amazing afternoon of sailing with Captain Spencer! The weather, food, music and company could not have been better and Captain Spencer was a wonderful host. He even made an effort to get pictures for us! I have had the opportunity to sail multiple times and this was my favorite experience. read more

Captain Spencer was wonderful. He was flexible with changes on my end. And, when the weather didn't cooperate at our scheduled departure time, he bent over backwards to get us out on the water later the same day. Turned out to be a great sail trip on a lovely boat. Thank you. read more

We could not have had a better experience! Spencer thought of everything and was incredibly knowledgable and made the experience that much better. We celebrated a birthday with the sunset cruise and it was perfect. Everyone agreed it was the best part of our trip! Can't recommend SunSwept Sailing enough! read more

SunSwept Sailing - Boat Charters Near Me

This was our second sail with Captain Spencer and we had a fantastic time as expected! Incredible views, beautiful boat, bring your own wine and food to enjoy a breathtaking sunset in Santa Barbara. Spencer thinks of everything, from allowing guests to play music, to blankets for the wind chill, and nice wine glasses. We will definitely be back. read more

SunSwept Sailing - Boat Charters Near Me

Captain Spencer was awesome! Beautiful boat, knowledgeable captain, and a great way to see Santa Barbara from the ocean. Only thing missing was the sunset which was hidden behind the clouds. First class sail! read more

See all

What a great experience. A must-do if you are anywhere near Santa Barbara. The sunset cruise does not disappoint

I treated my mother to a sunset sail during a girls weekend to Santa Barbara. She said this was the highlight of the trip and an unforgettable experience. Highly recommend. read more

SunSwept Sailing - Boat Charters Near Me

See all

Just a beautiful day. I would highly recommend a few hours on the Kelpie with Captain Spencer. It is well worth your time.

We used SunSwept Sailing for a Memorial at Sea. Everything went great. Captain Spencer is a very personable and pleasant person. The Kelpie was a great yacht and we were very happy. We were well taken care of with knowledgeable captain. If we are ever in Santa Barbara again, would love to try a whale watching or sunset cruise sometime in the future. read more

Yesterday we went for our second sail with Spencer. His boat is just beautiful, and he is a great guy. Very very knowledgable about boats and sailing, great fun personality, and lots of info about local restaurants. We just loved it. read more