damian 0 Posted May 29, 2006 Share Posted May 29, 2006 Just wrapping up about 3 weeks of camping by myself and happily managed to ride waves all the way up half of Portugal's 600km long Atlantic coastline. I also caught my first Atlantic Ocean fish in a beach river mouth that I had surfed earlier that morning. I surfed every day for 19 days and twice a day for half of them. One of Europe's best countries plus fantastic surfing. Link to post Share on other sites
Yuki's Passion 1 Posted May 29, 2006 Share Posted May 29, 2006 nice Spud. How were the waves? Were the beaches crowded? Find any spots that youd go back to again? Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted May 29, 2006 Share Posted May 29, 2006 pics pics pics Link to post Share on other sites
mattlucas 0 Posted May 29, 2006 Share Posted May 29, 2006 Sounds like a good time But why arn't you feasting on the many mountain lines that are opening up? Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted May 29, 2006 Share Posted May 29, 2006 maybe cause he was surfing the topless beaches that were opening up? Link to post Share on other sites
bushpig 0 Posted May 29, 2006 Share Posted May 29, 2006 again, I need a drool graemlin... Link to post Share on other sites
bushpig 0 Posted May 29, 2006 Share Posted May 29, 2006 Thanks soub! That! Link to post Share on other sites
damian 0 Posted May 30, 2006 Author Share Posted May 30, 2006 The surf quality ranged from crap to excellent, but that was due to wind and swell conditions, not Portugal's set ups. When it comes to surfing, Portugal has the goods, loads of reefs, points, river mouths and beachies and no sharks. I have never seen so many setups crammed into such a small area. Like a random stretch of Australian coastline but more than likely better. It is a seriously blessed coastline for surfing and one I will spend a few months exploring some time in the coming years. The friggin body boarders are everywhere though. I have no issue with them in the water unless they hog the waves, which they did. Like listless little spineless jellyfish they floated around the lineup with their trademark slackjawed expression and on somedays took every bloody wave. They burnt visitors and local surfers alike. It seems that boogers have deemed themselves excluded from the spirit of the ocean. Portuguese surfers are very good, as good as any beach in Oz (excluding a few of the surfing meccas back home where the talent pool is obscenely deep). But Portuguese surfers can also be quite competitive, especially around Lisbon which is the European Sydney. Overall though Portuguese dudes are pretty laid back, especially in the uncrowned south. But put a Portuguese male near a surfboard or in a car and the wanker macho issues start to appear. Not too bad, but you do notice it. Overall, Portugal is the Australia of Europe. At times I would be driving a country road or pulling up at a beach and outloud I would say to myself "jesus, this is frigging Australia!". I even got a lump in my throat once or twice. So many parts of Portugal remind me of Australia. They even have loads of eucalyptus trees, sand dunes, cliffs, warm sunny weather, cool water, great fish, red dirt, laid back sun loving people of modest class and 'down to earth' friendly attitude. Best waves I got were a few glass sessions at a left hand reef called Pedra Branca in Ericeira. It is a first class hollow wave. The second best waves I got where at supertubes in Peniche. I didn't get it half as good as it could be, but I surfed it heaps and its the best beach break I have ever ridden. Awesome tubes. Besides these places I surfed so many spots at half their potential but still had a great time. It was good to be back working hard in the water (and good to have an upper body again!). Unfortunately I didn't score any epic swells or big waves, besides one day. If I had the time I would just hung out longer on the south Atlantic coast. I found heaps of set ups, just no good waves were on when I was there, which was a pity. The best part of the trip was returning to the habits of my upbringing in Australia: searching empty coastlines for waves. During one leg of the trip, over about 200km, I reckon I drove down every dirt road that veered of the main road in the direction of the ocean. I was jamming the rental car down tracks that took me back to when I was 15 with my dad in a 4wd. I even managed to get the car bottomed-out with one rear wheel spinning free. It was a front wheel drive but the weight of the car on the rear axle was too much for the engine and I was stuck. It took about 40 minutes to jack up the rear axle and reverse back off the jack. Do that twice and you are free! Spending hours down these mostly go nowhere tracks yielded heaps of hidden set ups, perfect reefs and points but not quite working due to the wind of tide or swell size. The coastline is very impressive on its own, so it was worth while. Portugal has some really cool coastal geology and you would have to be pretty dopey not to notice and appreciate it, irrespective of what the waves where doing. I didn't take many pictures as in the first few days the surf was crap so all my shots where scenic ones and after that I became really cautious of my camera when someone tried to break into my car. So I hid my camera really well, which made it a hassle to get out each time I wanted a picture. Plus there is no way I would walk down the beach for 200m, take a photo, get into my wettie and paddle out leaving the camera on the beach. And I dont really like taking pictures after a surf as it seems kind of meaningless in comparison to the buzz. toque I was in the mtns until early May but had to stop as I didn't have anyone to ride with. My GF only has weekends available and at the price of 3 days of mtn guiding I could rent a car for 3 weeks in Portugal... so I went surfing. It really shits me having no one to ride with (besides my excellent GF, who nonetheless has time limitations). But we had the maps out last night and are going up for 3 or 4 days this long weekend to explore a few mtn passes that fully open in June. Unless the weather is crap, we will be hiking and riding this weekend. I am also going to have a crack at a risky line near Mont Blanc... depends, its not a certainty. Looking like Australia: Not quite big enough A fat and green right point, didn't even bother to surf it as the same minor swell was hitting hollower and empty reefs all over the place: ...at the end of a dirt track a smaller but totally empty peaking reef left hander. All to myself. waiting for the waves to arrive Small and onshore, getting frustrated looking for something to surf. The innocent hump that I bottomed out on (I bottomed out whilst reversing back down that track in front of the car as I wasn't paying attention and dropped a wheel over the edge. Ooops. Middle of no where as well. It was worthwhile as I found this little rock shelf on the beach that really turned on a few days later when the waves cleaned up. This is pretty corny of me, but my entire adult life has been spent on an east coast or a 'no-coast' place. This west coast sunset was only the second time I can remember watching and enjoying the awesome sun slowly dip below the curve of the Earth, the ocean's horizon. Just as you think you have seen a few things, you wake up and realise you haven't seen anything, not even something so beautiful and yet it happens everyday single day. Next time you are on a west coast, remember to watch the sun go down. . Link to post Share on other sites
sunrise 0 Posted May 30, 2006 Share Posted May 30, 2006 Nice one, Spud. Great pics, too. Man, those eucalyptus leaves make me homesick... Link to post Share on other sites
bushpig 0 Posted May 30, 2006 Share Posted May 30, 2006 Mate, you have brought a tear to my eye. PArticularly that last sunset shot. I used to surf till it was dark, watching that happen, 2 or 3 times a week... Looks like it has some epic breaks with a lot of potential. Link to post Share on other sites
indosnm 0 Posted May 30, 2006 Share Posted May 30, 2006 Bastardos, I have been wanting to get to Portugl for ages! Have a few mates from there and they all reckon it's like Sth OZ coastline minus the whitey's. From your pic it looks like it could be. That sunset is what I can see everynight from my front yard... Damn I miss home! ps. I had good poo colored waves here yesterday lespudo. Link to post Share on other sites
soubriquet 0 Posted May 30, 2006 Share Posted May 30, 2006 Nice one. You could try going south too. Morocco has some wicked surf, and no crowds. Now you're in Europe, there's plenty of time. Link to post Share on other sites
damian 0 Posted May 30, 2006 Author Share Posted May 30, 2006 bastardos!!! Funny one. I reckon the Algarve coast in Portugal (in the south) and South Oz would be very close in terms of water, surf set ups and coastal appearance and weather. Up north it is a bit more like south coast NSW. All up, its a fantastic coastline that just about any surfer would love. Bushy - glad you liked it. It was a really special trip and I am very thankful that I had the chance to do it. Too short but way better than nothing. Soubs - Morocco would be even better, probably way better. Spook, who is on the forum every now and then, spent heaps of time there and raved. Don't worry, it is on the cards. In my travels I made good friends with a very nice guy from Lanzarote in the Canary Islands. He showed me some pics and footage of that place and with out a doubt, it goes off. I am already reserving a time in my life in the coming years for an extended Morocco and Canary Islands trip. They are so close and yet offer such diverse surf conditions and local cultures. A stint too good to be missed. I might even go snowboarding in Morocco. Link to post Share on other sites
Yuki's Passion 1 Posted May 30, 2006 Share Posted May 30, 2006 awesome Spud, awesome. You know how to make somebody jealous in a really good way. Bushy and I talk all the time about how were lookin forward to the beach lifestyle again. Miss it so much. Here in Kansai the closest and nicest beach is Shirahama but flat as a board. Will be nice when the drive is short and the selection of waves as endless as the beaches Ho`omanawanui! Link to post Share on other sites
mattlucas 0 Posted May 30, 2006 Share Posted May 30, 2006 Great pictures The surf ones don't mean anything to me other than being really pretty though I see that you find yourself safer surfing on your own but you don't have confidence to ride in the mountains on your own Why is that? Both sports are obviously dangerous Link to post Share on other sites
snobee 0 Posted May 30, 2006 Share Posted May 30, 2006 A Nice Take Spud. Geez. Talk about South Oz. Could be any of a hundred places. Yorks, West Coast........, even the vegetation & sea colours the same. A few years back a well travelled friend told me Lisbon is the best city in Europe and Portugal the pick for a laid back holiday. Seems to be the case. Link to post Share on other sites
bushpig 0 Posted May 30, 2006 Share Posted May 30, 2006 Toque, yeah the surf is obviously a dangerous place to be by yourself, but if the conditions look dangerous enough you probably wouldn't go out even with a friend. Maybe there is a (false?) sense of being in control out in the surf. A wipeout is only a wipeout, and while it could be potentially dangerous, you back yourself (based on hundreds of wipeouts in the past) to resurface, get back on your board and paddle back out. Whereas, if the mountain comes down on you then you really are ****ed! I know that I for one don't go out in conditions I am not comfortable with, so that might be a similar thing to how you guys judge the snow stability. Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted May 30, 2006 Share Posted May 30, 2006 no sharks i might even surf there then. i hate sharks ill say that again i hate sharks. Link to post Share on other sites
Yuki's Passion 1 Posted May 30, 2006 Share Posted May 30, 2006 Ive been surfing with sharks before. Sharks are your friends From what I heard (bs knowledge) sharks usually only attack early morning and late afternoon. The only shark attack I saw was in the morning. Dunno if that was just coincidence - dont think so really ~ Link to post Share on other sites
mattlucas 0 Posted May 30, 2006 Share Posted May 30, 2006 I don't hate sharks They are just doing what they have to do to survive I am very scared of them though and anything in the ocean, lake or rivers below my feet that I can't see Link to post Share on other sites
bushpig 0 Posted May 30, 2006 Share Posted May 30, 2006 Yep fear of the unseen. I piss myself at the thought of a shark sneaking up on me. And while I haven't been unlucky enough to witness an attack like CB , I have seen quite a few of them near enough to have to burn my wetsuit afterwards. You're right Beanie, they are just in their natural environment and it is us intruding into their territory so shit happens. Mind you, I've also surfed with dolphins (literally meters from us), seals, and even whales (less than 40 meters away), so you take the bad with the awesome and just enjoy it all Link to post Share on other sites
eskimobasecamp 0 Posted May 30, 2006 Share Posted May 30, 2006 cool pics le spud, tres cool missin the europa now... so many countries, so many landscapes and people... and places to explore! looks like you are having a steeeezin time FT - what's with you and sharks? you got in the water with one once?? Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted May 30, 2006 Share Posted May 30, 2006 jaws destroyed my lifegaurding dreams Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts