Author: James
An annual 7-day surf camp pilgrimage to the waves of the Western Algarve (Amado beach mainly Carrapateira) was a rude awakening in the need for LOTS AND LOTS AND LOTS of pre-trip training and strength building especially if you over 40 like me!! I hadn’t done enough truth be told. I stayed at the Amado Surf Camp – my third time there – which is a bit like the Heartbreak High house for those old enough to remember the show, with surfboards, surf skate boards and lots of young, beautiful European 20-somethings volunteering to keep the place running in exchange for surf lessons. (The latter is not the reason I go I promise).
The trip was planned as a meet up with two German surfers I met their previous years though sadly one of the party couldn’t visit due to illness. The upside of travelling out of season was a lack of camp customers – I got 1-1 in-water tuition / v small group sessions most days with a series of excellent coaches (and the volunteers joining). minimum.
Conditions were mixed, lots of on-shore wind typical of Western Portugal and everything from 6-8ft (today) to clean baby waves requiring 8-ft foam boards. Lots of chop and paddling to stay in positior given strong currents most of the time. I surfed 7-days straight and feel it BIG time now. Also pretty much EVERYTHING – in my mid-40’s late to the game but keen to progress surf locker needs work: flexibility, power, reading waves, turning quickly and pop up (which sucked towards the end of the week).
Still, it felt BLOODY good to be in the water without too many people and continuing the journey with one of the toughest pursuits I know. I’m going try to head back in late September / October to meet up with the German surfer that couldn’t make it and once we land on dates, I’ll share on the app. Be great to have some club members come along. It’s a good spot for all levels and very reasonable with self-catering. But for now, it’s a renewed effort at everything to progress so as to be better the next time. See you on the water next time club teamies (and the pool / gym / surf skate before that).