Before we begin, dear reader, I must confess I’m an unlikely surf correspondent. It’s not through a lack of trying.
One summer, many Gallery editions ago, I was determined to teach myself to surf. My friends and I set our alarms for sparrow fart (around 5am) and parked up on the slipway at Secrets. I reversed into the foamers with my fins flapping like a flailing frogman.
I gulped a gallon of sea water to breach the foamy rubicon to arrive at the clean sets of waves, where my friends bobbed gracefully like a silhouette of seals in the morning light. I paddled forth floundering like a shipwrecked mariner kept afloat by that door from the Titanic.
Something stirred in the deep and we were rising rapidly above the horizon. The last sound I heard rushing through my ears was a piercing cry from my friend Dom: ‘It’s gonna break on us…!’
The next thing I knew I was engulfed in a Bosch spin cycle and jettisoned onto the shore like a semi-dissolved Persil tablet. Thus, my surfing career ended before it began.
These days I’m less Kelly Slater, more telly later. But I’m an islander at heart and there’s salt water flowing through these veins. So, Nazaré beckoned.
Nazaré is a big wave surfer’s paradise on the wild Atlantic coast of Portugal. It sets the stage for some of the most colossal waves on the planet.
The legend tells that ‘Mar à pinoca’, the wave that rages in front of Nazaré’s lighthouse, is the largest in the world. There, generations of fishermen and now surfers face the almighty elements. Hoping to find the experience of a lifetime and live to tell the tale.
Climbers have Everest, surfers have Nazaré. The Nazaré canyon shoots the biggest waves ever recorded. It makes the swells in St Ouen’s Bay look like the kiddie pool at the Aquasplash. The waves have reached a jaw-dropping height of 30 metres (100 feet) surfed by Rodrigo Koxa in November 2017, earning him the Guinness World Record for the largest wave ever conquered.
Nazaré’s monstrous waves are a result of a unique natural wonder. The underwater trench of the Nazaré Canyon plunges to depths of over 5,000 meters which funnels the energy of Atlantic storms directly toward the Praia do Norte beach, creating waves two to three times larger than usual Atlantic swells.
This small fishing village has gained worldwide fame for these goliath waves. Netflix is shortly to release a thrilling feature-length documentary ‘Maya and the Wave’ which follows the story of Maya Gabeira, a Brazilian big wave surfer who rode a staggering 22.4 m (73 feet) high wave in Nazaré in February 2020, recorded by Guinness World Records as the biggest wave ever surfed by a woman.
Surfers are often towed in by jet skis to gain the tremendous speeds necessary to match the massive swells, as paddling into these towering waves would be nigh on impossible.
November to February is the peak season for catching these leviathans rolling in from the deep. The ‘Big Wave Surfing Championship’ is announced anytime during this period with two to three days’ notice. Enamored by these tales of monster swells, I packed my Ford Fiesta with a cooler-box of iced tea in late November to make the two hour pilgrimage from Porto.
The historic fishing village has a sweeping crescent of golden beach with a sun-drenched boulevard, where you’ll find colourful rustic tabernas tempting you with cold Sagres beers and octopus salads. An aroma of sardines wafts on the warm Atlantic breeze, as volleyballs fly and vendors sell codfish, dried and baking in the sun.
Meander up the white cobblestone streets and you’ll find souvenir shops laden with tins of fermented sardines and gelaterias scooping out dollops of pistachio ice cream. The bustling beach town is flanked by the tall cliffs of Farol da Nazaré with tumbledown terracotta houses and a funicular climbing to the lofty summit. A favourite vantage point among photographers, I chose to hoof it up on foot on a sweltering hike to capture an exhilarating view of the sweeping coastline, with seabirds soaring on the breeze.
This charming maritime scene lies in stark contrast to the elemental forces in play in Praia do Norté, the bay beyond, where there be monsters.
At the very top, for three Euros you can enter the surf museum housed in the Forte de São Miguel Arcanjo, a historic fort with signed surf boards from the pro-surfers who dared to ride the swell. As you make the steep descent to the Farol da Nazaré lighthouse, the vibe shifts palpably from seaside to surfer mecca. There’s a fringe festival of food trucks, dreadlocked hippies and Californian surfers chomping pizza. It’s the kind of place where you’ll find a bearded pixie picking guitar inside a tiny leafy pagoda.
When you scramble down to Praia do Norté through lush sea vegetation and red earth, you’ll see powerful waves the size of Les Marais Towers engulf the horizon. Jet skis carve through the surf and long lens photographers are poised to snap the lionhearted surfers brave enough to take the ride.
Surfing here is truly a spectator sport. You’ll spot beautiful looking people who look like extras from Home & Away perched dreamily on yoga mats.
The salt spray haze gives everything an ethereal halo. I stood transfixed and watched surfers rocket through colossal barrels like greased frogs out of a drainpipe.
It all makes for an awe-inspiring display of nature at its fiercest. Surfers gracefully carve through crystalline half pipes, bathed in golden light and punctuated by thunderous claps of waves breaking.
Thrill-seeker or wave watcher, Nazaré is a must-visit winter destination for those who want to witness the raw power of nature. What three words? Exhilarating, jaw-dropping, uplifting.
Obrigado Nazaré, you stole my heart.
WHERE TO EAT
Taberna D’ Adélia
This rustic, colourful taberna is just a few steps from the beach. The traditional fishing heritage shines through with fresh oysters, baked codfish and langoustines swimming in a creamy tomato bisque – delicious washed down with a crisp glass of vinho verde.
WHERE TO STAY
Hotel Praia
I stayed in one of Nazaré’s most iconic hotels for its unbeatable location, only a one-minute walk from the beach. A 4-star hotel, the Hotel Praia is in the heart of the historic town – close to the best shops, restaurants and attractions. The rooftop-covered pool is perfect for a sunset dip and the bar has a sea-facing terrace. Double rooms start from £75 per night in the low season.
HOW TO GET THERE
Catch a two hour flight from London Gatwick to Porto or Lisbon and hire a rental car from Europcar, Hertz or Sixt from approximately £7 per day.
From Lisbon: Nazaré is easily accessible from Lisbon, located about 120 kilometers (75 miles) north of the capital. The journey takes approximately 1.5 hours by car or 2 hours by bus.
From Porto: For those coming from Porto, the drive takes around 2.5 hours along the A1 highway.
Words: Ben Jordan, Our man in Nazaré
