Ondas – Waves

There are a few things, that have an immensely calming effect on our soul: watching a log fire, clouds drifting along the sky, farming animals grazing on a field or gently breaking waves……

The latter however, you will struggle to find in one of Gonçalo’s travel suggestions : the fishing village of Nazaré on the Atlantic coast of Portugal, about a 100 km North of Lisbon…..

It is now the end of September and following a few delays on my journey from Munich, I am arriving in the old part of the town, just as the sun is setting somewhere in the ocean between Europe and America.

Red lifeguard flags on the beach are dancing in the breeze and I am prepared that their colour is unlikely to change over the next few days..

Due to its exposed position directly on the Atlantic, combined with the presence of a deep canyon on the sea floor right in front of the beach, this place is known to produce the tallest waves on the planet and even a harmless dip into the water at sunset can turn out to be a life threatening untertaking……

I am staying in an old fisherman’s cottage with just a single room, which many year’s ago might have housed a whole family. Stepping out of the door, the next building is not more than an armlength away and that still has to leave enough room for a few washing lines running along the front of the building.

The next morning, beating the daily stampede of tourists visiting Nazaré, I am making an early start and head to one of the world’s most famous light houses, marking the Western edge of Europe.

On my way I am greeted by the Portuguese version of a minotaur – about 6 m high, with the head of a deer and the body of a surfer. According to the artist it is in reference to the devine rescue of a deer hunting knight in the 12th century

combined with the equally superhuman feats of modern day knights on their surf boards.

The beach below me is still deserted, but despite a complete lack of wind, there are already waves of not less than 5-6 meters. This however is small fry compared to up to 30m high mountains of water, which can be seen here in the autumn.

It is then, when the best and the most fearless of surfers from all over the world descend on this place, bringing with them thousands of spectators to watch these dare devils in their insane pursuit for fame and glory.

Each of them with their very own pseudonyms and their signature polyurethane and fibreglass contraptions. The most famous and the most audacious are even displayed in a hall of fame in the light house, on a cliff overlooking this famous beach.

And just when you think that you have seen it all, you find yourself standing in front of a surf board with a violin and you realise once again, that there are no limits to the bizarre wanderings of the human mind…..