PACO'S SECOND LIFE
From Finance to Forests: The Quiet Rituals of a Surfing Tree Surgeon
In the quiet pre-dawn hours on the northern coast of Asturias, while most are still wrapped in dreams, Paco is already moving. He folds his sleeping bag with the same precision he once reserved for financial reports. Outside, the Atlantic breathes mist into the cliffs. His Toyota Land Cruiser, parked at the edge of a cove known only to locals, hums gently as he boils water for coffee.
For Paco, this is not a holiday. It’s a season, three months every year, carved out with the same discipline he once applied to quarterly earnings and client portfolios. The difference now? He’s no longer a finance analyst in Madrid. He’s a certified tree surgeon living in southern Germany, with calloused hands, and a freezer full of spearfished lubina.
But every summer, he comes home.
A RETURN TO ROOTS
“I used to think success was a skyline office and a full inbox,” Paco says, crouched on the tailgate of his Land Cruiser, slicing pieces of apple for his daughter, Inés. “Now I think it’s this. Mornings with her. Waves. Fish in the cooler. And time.”
Paco’s father still lives in a stone farmhouse inland, nestled in the emerald hills of Asturias. That connection brought him back initially, but it’s the ocean that keeps calling him each year. Not for himself, but for Inés.
“She got into surfing during lockdown,” he explains. “I’d never surfed before. I was a climber, obsessed with rock, with vertical lines and precision.” He laughs. “Then she asked me to join her one day, and that was it.”
Now, each summer, their days are built around tides. Morning rituals come first: stretch, boil coffee, check swell reports, wax boards. Then the water.
THE METHOD IN WILDNESS
Paco is methodical in everything he does. It's part of what made him successful in the corporate world and now, it's what allows him to live a self-reliant life off the grid. From spearfishing to board maintenance, there’s a quiet ceremony to how he moves through the world.
“In rock climbing, every knot has to be perfect. You respect the system, because the system keeps you alive. Nature is like that too. If you listen to it, it gives you everything.”
Paco dives for fish in the kelp forests at dawn, selecting only what he needs. The catch is cleaned, vacuum-packed, and frozen in a solar-powered cooler in his Land Cruiser—provisions for winter in Germany. He’s proud of that part: feeding his family with his own hands.
A LIFE CARVED WITH INTENTION
Paco doesn’t romanticize the switch from finance to forestry. “There was fear. Doubt. You leave security for chainsaws and cold mornings. But you gain something else - freedom, maybe. Or just clarity.”
In Germany, he works year-round as an arborist. “Trees are like cliffs. Each one is different. You read them. You move with respect.”
But he counts the days until he returns to Asturias. The surf. His daughter. The salt in the air.
Paco’s Outdoor Gear: Diving, Fishing, and Exploring with a Toyota Land Cruiser
At Pirineo, we love sharing the stories and gear setups of passionate adventurers. Paco, one of our community members, is the perfect example of someone who lives and breathes the outdoors. Whether he’s free diving off the rugged coasts of Spain, spearfishing in the Mediterranean, or heading north for colder waters, his equipment is carefully chosen to match each environment.
For spearfishing, Paco relies on trusted neoprene suits in different thicknesses—2 mm, 5 mm, and 7 mm—depending on the season and water temperature. His gear comes from renowned brands like O.M.E.R, Cressi, Beuchat, and Picasso. When it comes to mobility underwater, he switches between long and short fins, from sturdy rubber and plastic models to high-performance carbon ones. His spearguns range in size from 60 cm up to 100 cm, giving him flexibility for both reef hunting and open-water pursuits.
The catch reflects his versatility: sargos, dentex, sea bass, maragotas, triggerfish, John Dory, conger eel, mackerel, mullet, and red mullet in the Atlantic; dorado and barracuda in the Mediterranean; and further north in Norway, cod, pollock, and even halibut. Cephalopods like octopus and cuttlefish also make their way into his dives.
Outside the water, Paco enjoys the waves with Firewire laminated wood surfboards—boards that blend performance with a natural feel.
All of this is made possible thanks to his rugged Toyota Land Cruiser overlander, a reliable partner that carries him, his gear, and his spirit of adventure across coastlines and into the wild.
Paco’s setup isn’t just about equipment—it’s about a lifestyle of exploration, adaptability, and respect for nature. At Pirineo, we’re proud to highlight the way he connects land, sea, and adventure into one seamless journey.
WHY WE CHOSE PACO
At Pirineo, we believe in stories like Paco’s - rooted in the land, shaped by choice, and lived in rhythm with nature. Paco is not chasing adventure for likes or ego. He’s living a life aligned with the values we believe in: simplicity, self-reliance, and deep respect for wild places.
His journey reminds us that the outdoors isn't just a playground - it’s a place to grow, to reconnect, and to rebuild ourselves.
Paco doesn’t call himself a hero. But for us, he’s exactly the kind of person we design for and give back to. Because when people like Paco thrive, so do the natural parks, forests, and coastlines we love.