Category: Baleal Sur Camp 2024

• Peniche – Baleal Surf Camp Day #5
• Weather: 60-75°/ blue skies with white clouds

I felt compelled to recognize Bruno with a toast at our closing dinner. “Thomas Jefferson the third American President said to his daughter Martha, ‘No person will have the occasion to complain of want of time who never looses any. It is wonders how much can be done if we are always doing.’ Always doing is what we have been doing at Baleal Surf School…surf lessons, skate boarding, visiting a Medieval town, touring a custom surfboard factory. Safety and fun always being foremost. Thomas Jefferson wrote to his brother Randolph, ‘No society is so precious as that of one’s own family.’ Baleal Surf School is 45 people…instructors, receptionists, booking agents, equipment supervisors, cooks, servers, and housekeepers who come together as family to ensure we have the best experience regardless of our talent or age. Guests have come here as families…three Australian children and parents, one Swiss teenager and parents, two American brothers, four Italians and five French who are a family of friends plus many solo travelers like Rosie from England, Zi from Singapore, and Hugo from China. Under the magic Bruno has created, we have become one Baleal Surf School family. Let’s raise a glass and toast Bruno.”

• Peniche – Baleal Surf Camp Day #5
• Weather: 60-75°/ blue skies with white clouds

Afternoon class: The unthinkable…calm water in Peniche. There isn’t energy in the waves. Waves deflate under our boards. Standing we sink upright into the water as if riding an elevator to the sandy bottom. Being more skilled, other surfers find the random good wave and zigzag to shore. I have a few longish ride always to the cheer of my surf mates. “Linda, Linda!” I am humbled by their support and attention.

• Peniche – Baleal Surf Camp Day #5
• Weather: 60-75°/ blue skies with white clouds

Morning: We break out of Peniche and tour Óbidos, a medieval town complete with city walls and a fountain fed by a Roman aqueduct. Next we tour Fatum a custom surfboard factory. It wasn’t a VISA moment for our surfers.

• Peniche – Baleal Surf Camp Day #4
• Weather: 60-70°/ blue skies with white clouds

Dinner: A gentleman from Liechtenstein asks, “Do you speak English?” Yes. “Were you surfing today?” Yes. “You are amazing! I was watching you surf.” I am dumbstruck. It is my teachers who are amazing.

• Peniche – Baleal Surf Camp Day #4
• Weather: 60-70°/ blue skies with white clouds

2:00pm class: Two becomes one as my teammate moves to an advanced group. I remind myself Georgia’s achievement doesn’t diminish from my progress. Private lessons with Kaby is a golden opportunity. At times I ride the wave so far to shore I cannot see Kaby in the distance. Kaby’s laughter is the compass that guides me back to him.

• Peniche – Baleal Surf Camp Day #3
• Weather: 60-70°/ blue skies with white clouds

I am now the slower of two surfers. Feeling crushed transitions to feeling defeated. Lunch gives me time to rethink. It’s not about what I can’t do but what I can do. With Kaby’s infectious laugh and positive energy it isn’t hard to keep a positive mental attitude. I begin improving. My stance is upright allowing me to shift my weight from toes to heel for control. I am by no means consistent but better. Learning to surf is a progression of peaks and valleys. It’s what you do when you are in the valley that is important. Life isn’t much different.

• Peniche – Baleal Surf Camp Day #3
• Weather: 60-70°/ blue skies with white clouds

9:00am class: Video critiquing of yesterday’s surfing shows amazing progress from my group with two exceptions. Yeap, me and another surfer. Group division…“the have” and “have not” and I am a “have not.” A bit crushing. The silver lining is I will be receiving semiprivate lessons from Kaby.

• Peniche – Baleal Surf Camp Day #2
• Weather: 60-70°/ blue skies with white clouds

2:00pm class: When a massive wave comes, you either go over or through it. To go through the wave, hold onto the surf board rail. Extend arms straight with body in plank position. Shift your body off the board over water. Drop into the water rolling onto your back while pulling the board up and over you. (Like a turtle lying on his shell.). Push the tail of the board up with feet while pulling the nose down with hands. You’ve now created the perfect wedge to go through the water.

• Peniche – Baleal Surf Camp Day #2
• Weather: 60-70°/ blue skies with white clouds

9:00am class: Green water surfing is right of passage. Accomplished surfers congregate straddling their boards in the green water. From a distance they look like bobbing seals in the water. While perched on their board, they gaze for “the” wave. We rode the waves catching them as they swelled and jumping off before they crashed. Paddling to the green water must give surfers their massive arm muscles.

• Peniche – Baleal Surf Camp Day #1
• Weather: 60-65°/ overcast, windy; light rain after class

9:00am class: Practice pop ups on the beach (pushing up with “chicken arms,” bring back foot on board, bring front foot on board). I surprise myself by riding on the board a few times.

2:00pm class: Practice pop ups on beach (MODIFIED: pushing up with “chicken arms,” bring back knee on board, bring front foot on board, stand on back foot). The class went to the other side of the peninsula as there were fewer people and different wave conditions but the more threatening shore wind could easily slam the board into your body. I had a few rides. One wave with the most tremendous force lifted and propelled my board all the way to shore. Albeit I road lying flat on my stomach and never had the opportunity to stand. Could this powerful wave be the type surfers catch and amazingly ride zigzagging in the curl?

As the day was windy, overcast, and 65 degrees I felt myself get colder and my energy level falling. I stopped class early and assistant Thomas carried my board back to Baleal Surf Camp while I ran trying to generate heat. Had I wimped out or was I listening to my body say tired bodies become accident prone? Making the right decision isn’t the most compatible with the ego.