I should mention this little bit of info:
As far as I can tell, I am the only SUPster here right now.
It is a fairly testy place to SUP surf, with sizable, hard breaking waves that usually end abruptly ;D
I haven't found any really user friendly spots yet.
These days I prefer to surf makable waves with some water depth, since my body doesn't bounce as well as it used to and so far I am still bouncing.
I haven't even seen anyone paddling flat-water, or seen a SUP on a car.
I should mention this little bit of info:
As far as I can tell, I am the only SUPster here right now.
It is a fairly testy place to SUP surf, with sizable, hard breaking waves that usually end abruptly ;D
I haven't found any really user friendly spots yet.
These days I prefer to surf makable waves with some water depth, since my body doesn't bounce as well as it used to and so far I am still bouncing.
I haven't even seen anyone paddling flat-water, or seen a SUP on a car.
I've never been to Portugal yet, but this surprises me. Then again, I remember a friend telling me about a surf trip he did there back in 99. He said he saw no one on longboards anywhere he went, and this was the height of the longboard resurgence. Plus very few surfers over the age of 30 (I'm sure that's a lot different now). Perhaps Portugal is a bit behind on any surf trends outside of mainstream shortboarding? Still surprising not at least flat water SUP. Oh well, it's on my bucket list regardless. Amazing footage BTW.
I'm thinkin about a short trip over there in the beginning of march - maybe see you there for a session!
Don't know what happened to Thursday, but here it is. And yes, more people SUP in Portugal (including the Guinness record holder for the biggest wave ever on a kitesurf):
What board is that? I suspect I need your talent more than your board, but curious what it is.
You are living the life Creek. The stoked way you just showed up with such a blank canvas, positive vibes and let it just happen! What a brave and impressive example of how to be. Simply classic.
The winters over here can put the spots at their limits and saturate the mellower ones. Crazy when the surf problem is too much wave action.
As most of the mornings here are now around the freeze point I’m digging your chillin, shorts and sun.
If you come back next winter I’ll be coming by for sure. All the luck to y’a mate.
Definitely not trying to "sell" Portugal.... this area is not an easy place to SUP surf, at least for me.
hey aren't you supposed to use celsius?Board shorts and a hoodie says it all..
ankle report?
your audience wants you in the water!!
Amazing and absolutely inspiring! Tell us the tricks about how to do this on nothing but SSI.
Amazing and absolutely inspiring! Tell us the tricks about how to do this on nothing but SSI.
It's easy, no matter where I go, I live on exactly the same amount of money....
destinations are picked by opportunity and affordability.
The flight was cheap, I saved that over the summer
Baggage was expensive and made me skimp after I arrived (I have only gone out for one drink since I got here)
The car cost less than I would spend on gas at home.... and here, I rarely drive, and then it's short distances.
The real trick is going away long enough to absorb the travel costs, into a lower cost of living.
My idea of eating out:
grab a ham & veggie baguette ($1.90) and small drink ($.69) at the supermarket.... and sit on the beach.
You simply have to believe you will make it all work..... and just go.
On the topic of keeping it affordable
I don't take my phone out of the house.... so I never have GPS directions. Don't own a map either.
I look over the "Google Map" route on my computer and memorize the turns....
which can get interesting around this desolate coast.
Lately the wind has been howling and sideshore most places, so I have been in "recon" mode
Many of the breaks I want to explore are only accessible by the many dirt "roads" that criss cross through the countryside.
It gets interesting ;D
Here's a vid I made with my "point & shoot" because my Kook Hat Cam had a dead battery.
Nothing new, just another old man, wandering around, lost.
I did find the route Google maps had laid out.... ha ha, I think they were trying to kill me ;D ;D ;D
Good thing my instincts said NO!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJjXEqJ1dVY
Plus some pics from the day:
It always feels pretty good after you push your comfort zone. It was a good day ;DI'm not very religious but the first thing that came to mind was Amen...maybe I am religious! That was incredible, Creek! Way to step up in those conditions. But was there really any doubt you could handle yourself? Not by me! That nail in the tire made me lol...sorry. I so wanted to pull the trigger on Portugal, but it's just too cold for my wife there right now. hopefully maybe in the fall.
That countryside looks like unspoiled Southern California coast. How I imagine it must have looked 100 years ago.I thought the same exact thing. Also reminded me of the openness of Peru.
Ticket = $544
Baggage = $440 (one way) :'(
cost per item:p
9'4 Creek = $185
9'0 Custom = $135
1 Checked bag = $120
I so wanted to pull the trigger on Portugal, but it's just too cold for my wife there right now. hopefully maybe in the fall.
Creek, how did you pack your boards to get then there safely ?
Way to step up in those conditions. But was there really any doubt you could handle yourself? Not by me!
That nail in the tire made me lol...sorry.
..and, it appears, unlike some Cent. Am. locations, you didn't have to hire the guy who was about to get 4 new tires - not to take them. Does it seem relatively safe from a petty theft aspect?
Jim
Two questions:
1. Favorite libation
2. Favorite local dish
Forecast looks very good for the next couple of weeks! No wind, small to medium sized waves for the next 2 days, and a pumping swell afterwards!
creek, pls stay out of the water there..........
hope youre gettimg ribeira d'ilhas on the way back south
classic right
Great shots Rick!
Does anyone else see pictures in a slightly different dimension when you know the person behind the lens?
Nice Ricky. How long was the drive from Sagres to Nazare?
in my short time there, we went all over the place in tiago's sprinter full of boards---from ereceira to well south of lisbon---totally impressive the unlimited number of breaks we scoped and surfed all along that coast--and the culture seemed more relaxed than US---peaks werent as crowded as US, so that might be why......
keep em coming creek---btw? much as i am enjoying portugal.....where next?? i want nothing less than a series out of you!!
in fact, id hit a gofundme for a benji to get more of this! put it up--ill break the..........with a benji (insert "ice", not what you were thinking)--
same deal: super cheap off the radar surf destination (with legit consistent waves), with organic, local culture---featuring our creek mixing, in his creekster way, with the waves and the culture---ever frugal and zen, and admittedly broke, but happy and actually living enviably
like in my case--sitting in my office killing time waiting for a meeting i dread.....vs creekliving???
any showrunner zonoids out there??
not kidding creek---research your next trip, put up a gofundme, do not change your creekstyle, and i am your first benji to the next set of episodes
given your creek travel budgets, id bet you get close to goal, easily
have fun---be safe!
Funny you mentioned that EB. I thought the same.....I'd pitch in for sure. I'm dreaming of following in his footsteps.
maybe get a fishing pole or drop line and live off the sea! :)
Ricky. That 'Monday' picture was a little ominous... I found a 'Portugal live' cam. 'Looks maybe N. of you, but you can see people paddling out.
https://www.skylinewebcams.com/en/webcam/portugal/algarve/lagos/lagos-portugal.html
Hi Jim... that cam is on the "flat" south side. Actually East of me by 30 miles.
Needs a south swell or get some wrap from the big NW swells we have now.
Jim
yep creek--and the 3-5 footer looks maybe even a bit soft--like it's not a jacking death-slab, but it is a massively powerful thick hunk of water--
easy call, tough call? you made the RIGHT CALL to be safe and do some touring!
KEEP ON!
yup, years of traveling alone has got me reasonably well trained not to over think stuff.... just suit up and go out.looks like 3-4 Hawaiian to my eye
To show you what I'm up against... here's the weeks forecast.
Today is the "small" day..... at 3-4 ft
the pic shows what todays "3-4ft" was like
I drove all over looking for the right break....
as soon as I paddled out the wind went bad... but I got 4 waves anyway :)
What the heck is 8 - 13ft going to be like on Friday?!?
Maybe I missed it but which beach is that in Cascais? You are looking good out there. And I dig the Porto cat hanging out on your beach view desk.
Creek, how far south are you coming in April? Will you be in North Carolina?
Creek, how far south are you coming in April? Will you be in North Carolina?
Yes I will go pretty much straight to Myrtle and stop at spots on my way back north.
I am going to the Carolina Pro Am in Wrightsville and stay part of the week of the Carolina Cup.... then hit VA. Beach and Jerzy
Today I made a good effort to drive myself off a cliff.... very sketchy drive along a ridge line, then down to a wild, remote ocean beach.
Hard to believe what I put my little Panda car through every day ;D ;D
One section of road was so steep and rock ledgey... that I couldn't continue and had to K-turn on a narrow ledge.
Pics will not do it justice.... but that won't stop me from adding a few :)
I finally got to the beach, a guy came out of the bush.... "excuse me... do you know this area? My map seems to be incorrect"
He was a hiker who was following a coastal trail map... and there was no trail for him to continue.
I gave him a ride to a little hamlet (Street Pic) in the hills about 10 miles away. Great guy!
He is a 69 year old hiker who blogs about his trips and is also looking to move to Portugal. (pic... map in hand)
OK, fingers crossed.....I can never upload more than 6 pics (even at reduced size below 400 kb each)
here goes a shot at 11 :-\
fail #1, try again...
Fail # 2..... pain in the buttski
ok.... multiple posts it is >:(
Fail #3... ok.... try 1 picture. Not much of a post if you can't add content >:(
I checked EVERY pic size..... most under 300 kb... 2 under 500 kb
Great stuff, Rick! Really compliments our Youtube channel. Always stoked to see how friendly the locals are.
Two weeks and counting till your back stateside Creeker! I know you'll be coming home with thousands of pics and many hours of video.......look forward to hearing your thoughts on what you'll do with it all. I'm sure it'll be no easy task unless of course you're gonna vault it (hope not) for future generations(?) :o
Until then standing by for a another report or two of Portugal, surf, and the peeps.
8) 8) 8)
Great stuff, Rick! Really compliments our Youtube channel. Always stoked to see how friendly the locals are.
Thanks Oki! What's your You Tube Channel? I'd like to check it out!