The last surfing frontier in Europe

Waves are meant to be experienced by everyone. But the global map, especially in Europe, has had its known surf spots increasingly crowded. Far from this hustle and bustle, it’s in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, in São Miguel, that something increasingly rare is preserved: space, time, and the sea in its purest state. The ultimate surfing frontier in Europe, as a recent friend described the island.

The energy in the sea is contagious. The great luxury of the mornings lies in sharing incredible waves with just a couple of friends, someone you meet out there in the water, and the company of marine life, not always visible, but always present. 

The kind of atmosphere that brings back the true essence of surfing: the lightness of gliding on a wave.

The experience begins, as always, long before paddling out. As we study the sea, assessing the size of the waves, the cadence of the sets on the horizon, and the rhythm of the tide. This pause, near the car, in the parking lot, on the terrace, or already with our feet on the Areal, helps us decide where to paddle out. A few minutes later, there we are, on the board, in the absolute peace we find after making it past the break.

The session begins and the clock disappears and time is suspended, here on one of the last pieces of land on this continent that brings us this encounter with the sea.

Here we are, with just the board, the immense power of the ocean, and a desire to keep trying, fueled by the focus that being in the sea brings, which accepts no distractions, and forces us to be ever present. So different from what is common today, in other everyday places. 

Perhaps that is why, because of this feeling of being so deeply present, we always want to return to the sea.

Back on solid ground, sitting on the sand, recovering our heart rate, comes the well-deserved rest and the fresh memories of that incredible wave that, most likely, no one else saw, but which represents much more than where the whitewash took us. The Atlantic becomes so evident that, even at the end of the day, when we close our eyes to fall asleep, that wave energy lulls us perfectly, letting the body go. 

Leaving the desire to return for “just one more wave.”