Riding the Nazaré Wave
Web documentary about the economic, social and environmental impacts of the global reputation achieved by Praia do Norte, Nazaré.
November 1, 2011, on a wild and unknown beach of Portugal, a man surfed a wave with almost 24 meters high in about 24 seconds ...
A few days later, these images were watched all over the world. Praia do Norte of Nazaré and Garrett McNamara would reach global notoriety almost immediately: was this the biggest wave ever surfed? A few weeks later came the confirmation by the Guinness Book of World Records.
Since then, Praia do Norte became one of the main stages in the entire world for this unique spectacle offered by big waves surfers. That sea, so feared and so fierce, became a source of pride - and revenue. Now, the bigger the better! But is bigger truly better? What are the economic, social and environmental impacts of this sudden global visibility of Nazaré’s Praia do Norte giant waves? What changes are already visible? What changes are desirable? And what changes are undesirable? Something is changing in Nazaré: what, how and to what extent only now are we beginning to understand...
Nazaré is shaped by the sea ever since its origin. Located about 100 kilometres north of Lisbon, the village of Nazaré is formed by Praia da Nazaré, Sítio da Nazaré and Pederneira, where just over 10,000 people permanently live.
Its rapid growth throughout this century resulted primarily from the combination of three factors(1)
Much older are the communities that look out over Praia da Nazaré: Sítio da Nazaré and Pederneira. The cradle of this urban centre is Pederneira, whose origin predates the Alcobaça Monastery foundation in 1178: this was one of the 14 villages of Coutos Alcobaça. The first location of Pederneira was at the southeast of its current one, on the bank of the former lagoon of Pederneira. It should be noted that Pederneira was an important port and shipyard in the golden age of the Portuguese Discoveries.
The Shrine of Our Lady of Nazaré came to be one of the greatest Marian devotion centres in Portugal(2)
But in the late nineteenth century, Praia da Nazaré would be bigger and would have more population than Sítio da Nazaré and Pederneira. An example of this quick development was the inauguration in 1889 of the lift connecting Praia da Nazaré and Sítio da Nazaré. Also, in 1898, the town hall is transferred to Praia da Nazaré, and in 1912 the county name would be change from Pederneira to Nazaré. Throughout the twentieth century, Nazaré would become a major fishing centre, as well as a major tourist attraction at national level.
Counter-current, a young man of Nazaré made the sea and fishing his work and philosophy of life over the last 12 years. João Delgado, born in Nazaré in 1977, graduated in fine arts, but decided for fishing as profession - and also for social and political intervention.
A professional fisherman since 2004, João Delgado is also a national leader of Mútua dos Pescadores [insurance company for fishermen], an activity that he carries exclusively since the beginning of 2016. Adding to these functions, João Delgado is a member of the Portuguese Communist Party council committee of Nazaré, also integrating this party regional direction board. Currently, his biggest challenge is to contribute to the improvement the working conditions of fishing industry professionals in Portugal.
About the economic impact of the waves of Praia do Norte reputation, João Delgado notes that although it is visible a larger influx of tourism and more fish consumption, this is not yet reflected in the fishermen of Nazaré income: "Currently, the fish merchants are the ones who keep the largest share of the generated value" and adding that "there is a huge discrepancy from the price paid for the fish at its first sale and then the price of fish that is paid by the final consumer.”
Artisanal fishing in Nazaré - and all over the country - will disappear if measures are not taken in a timely manner aimed at their protection and promotion, also observes João Delgado, "gradually, fishing is disappearing. Small production units are becoming to have no financial capacity to continue to invest, in order to ensure its operability and keep jobs".
The leader of the Mútua dos Pescadores defends the organization of fishermen, so they can make the entire value chain, from fish production to marketing. In the current model, it turns out to be the middleman who profits more, despite being the fisherman who risks the most. It should be noted that the largest private company in the Nazaré municipality, in business volume, is a wholesale fish trading company (5), which had in 2014 more than 15.5 million EUR of revenues, with 29 employees on staff.
"Social impacts, substantial improvements in community life across the board, we still did not have what we could conceivably achieve - if things are well organized” said João Delgado on the impact of the Praia do Norte popularity in the local community. We are still far of endowing to Nazaré with the means and sufficient infrastructure to potentiate this phenomenon, emphasizes this young fisherman.
The continuity in the projection of Praia do Norte and Nazaré is fundamental, but also "fair and balanced labour relations, which can remain continuously in time and not only of seasonal nature. This is where our community is structured and we can increase cohesion”. The proper use of the recent worldwide visibility is, in his view, jobs creation and the establishment of workers and production facilities and services in Nazaré, strengthening social cohesion and promoting a balanced development.
What story would he like to tell about Nazaré in 10 years? This seaman replies this way: "I would like to tell a much nicer story than the one that today I can tell regarding the life of the people of Nazaré, about the lack of opportunities and the lack of ability to provide more permanent jobs". In addition, more conditions for young people to settle in Nazaré and develop various activities, since nowadays many have to migrate or emigrate in order to make a living. In 10 years, I would like to say that finally Nazaré found its course" – concludes João Delgado.
The new wave of Nazaré seamen is surfer by profession. Hugo Vau, born in Lisbon in 1977, is now frequent presence in the Nazaré giant waves. This Portuguese surfer already obtained seven nominations for the XXL Big Wave Awards of the World Surf League (WSL), including being one of the five finalists in the category Biggest Wave in 2015.
Today, Hugo Vau home is the island of Terceira in the Azores, where he has his own company with his wife - the Gigante Expeditions - in sustainable tourism area. This surfer is also a fisherman, but curiously, he never had any people in his family related to the sea, might they be fishermen or surfers.
In 2005, Hugo Vau surfed for the first time in Nazaré. In 2007, he was invited to be one of the sea professionals’ safety responsible for a bodyboard championship in Nazaré - the Special Edition event - and returned in later editions. Until in 2011, Hugo Vau got an invitation by Garrett McNamara to join the group of giant waves surf pioneers in Praia do Norte, which also included Andrew Cotton.
"The personal relationship I have with waves of Nazaré is really very special" revealed Hugo Vau, adding that "this is here that I made my dreams a reality, including surfing the biggest wave of my life." This big wave surfer calls the Praia do Norte a ’stage to make dreams come true’, as many athletes have achieved here their best performances, like himself, Garrett McNamara and many others. For Hugo Vau, Praia do Norte is probably the "best training camp in the world to go jet skiing and to make big-wave surfing."
On the impacts of the global visibility of the Praia do Norte giant waves, Hugo Vau observes a large influx of people at Nazaré, especially, a passionate public about surfing and the sea: "this is not just a surf show, is also a unique natural phenomenon in the world, where people can be with an unpaired proximity of those giant waves".
The current popularity of surfers and Nazaré giant waves contrasts with that he observed at the beginning of the project that brought up this site Hugo Vau and his colleagues Garrett McNamara and Andrew Cotton, when they saw almost no one on land, besides a half-dozen people and some videographers and photographers: "in the days when there are big waves, there are many hundreds or even thousands of enthusiastic people, screaming, whistling, as if they were in a football game, where there is only one team, which is even funnier. "
For the local economy, the balance has been positive, says Hugo Vau, since the big waves season takes place in autumn and winter, where traditionally the influx of visitors was very low, in contrast to the summer: "today, things are different, because even if there is no giant waves, mainly on weekends weekend, the lighthouse is full of people, that area in Sítio (da Nazaré) is crowded, the restaurants are full".
Another positive impact was the creation of an effective security scheme, allowing big wave surfers a safe enjoyment of this sea. This makes Nazaré an even more attractive place: "Nazaré is probably the most dangerous place in the world to surf,"he added, mentioning also that security in Praia do Norte is already "very close to perfection".
If regarding the sea safety level almost everything has been done, in relation to the support infrastructure of Praia do Norte, regarding the Forte de São Miguel, Hugo Vau suggests some improvements, in particular bathrooms and wooden benches for the public: "this kind of details that can be relatively improved - and at a low cost. Never forgetting not to damage that area, which is almost like a sanctuary of Nazaré".
Regarding the negative aspects, Hugo Vau has some concerns about the effects of this phenomenon massification: "there is traffic in places that never had any. More people, more cars ", he notes, "but 90% of things are positive in the end". Although this new "episode" is interesting and positive, in particular for all the surfers who flock to Nazaré, Hugo Vau confesses that he does not identify much with this new phase, which considers to be a "little more commercial". What does not change, stresses this seaman, is the deep feeling for the Nazaré waves: "the only thing that does not vary is humility and respect for the sea."
Besides Hugo Vau, other big waves surfers make Nazaré a bit like their second home. Garrett McNamara is the best known of these athletes. Andrew Cotton, Sebastian Steudtner, Ross Clarke-Jones, Shane Dorian, Benjamin Sanchis, Alessandro Marciano are also regulars in Nazaré during the big waves season. Also worth mentioning the Brazilians Carlos Burle, Pedro Scooby and Maya Gabeira: the later surfer, almost lost her life in Praia do Norte in 2013, as a consequence of a dramatic fall from a giant wave.
The presence of the big wave surfers’ elite, of dozens of photographers and videographers, and also of thousands of enthusiasts is the most visible face of the popularity achieved by Praia do Norte. However, other changes can already be observed, although it may not be easy to see them with the naked eye.
project MBoard: in 2014 they launched a special board that included cork as manufacturing material (12)
Significant was also the international campaign launch of the new SUV models from Mercedes-Benz in 2015 (13), in which McNamara was a brand ambassador and the main scenario was Praia do Norte. The Mercedes-Benz Portugal director of marketing, Jorge Aguiar, recalls that first the brand was associated with the athlete to support the transport of jet skis and other equipment, only later emerged ideas like the special board for the Praia do Norte waves.
"Today, there is a very deep connection between Mercedes-Benz brand, Garrett and Nazaré," said Jorge Aguiar, adding that this was "a bond that came without a vision, without a strategy, which emerged from a conversation". The maximum responsible for the Mercedes-Benz marketing in Portugal recognizes that there is a clear return on investment for this brand in McNamara and the Nazaré waves, which is currently perceived differently by a younger audience: "today we are a brand, younger, most innovative, disruptive, accepting challenges and poses challenges".
Although he cannot disclose the amounts invested by Mercedes-Benz in the projects and associated campaigns of McNamara and Praia do Norte – also because it is difficult to quantify, given the nature of these projects - Jorge Aguiar stated that these are low values, but very effective communication wise. To create digital content represents most of the amount invested by the Mercedes-Benz Portugal in its connection to McNamara and Nazaré, as exemplified by the Red Chargers project, launched in October 2015.
This and other initiatives by this brand are part of a "community" project of, to Jorge Aguiar, developing together the Mercedes-Benz brand, as well as Garrett McNamara and Nazaré brands, "a project of emotional value, human value".
Big investors and big investments are beginning to emerge in other activities, such as real estate projects. For example, in mid-2014, the international group Circle Of Innovation Immobilien announced that it intended to build on the area near the Church of São Gião, south of Nazaré beach, a resort budgeted at 750 million Euros, to occupy a 250 hectares (14). Golf course, apartments and villas are part of this real estate project - called Golden Sunset Resort (15)- which is geared for senior tourism, which its promoters claimed that it would generate 1,000 jobs.
To know how to balance the pressure exercised by big investors with the sustainable development of this region is certainly a complex issue to resolve. On a different scale, innovative small businesses also arise in Nazaré, which have an integrated vision of the local community, taking advantage of what already exists and knowing how take advantage of new business opportunities that the waves are bringing in.
United Lounge, a space aimed to serve as a meeting point for surfers, media and brands(16)
The environmental impacts of the global visibility of Praia do Norte and the promontory Nazaré should also be taken into account. From one day to the other, what was a wild and almost unknown place became frequented by hundreds or even thousands of people, during short periods of time.
The carrying capacity of an ecosystem concept, from the ecology field, may be useful to understand the risks associated with such pressure, stresses the biologist Sofia Quaresma, from the Portuguese Association of Marine Litter [Associação Portuguesa do Lixo Marinho].
How far as we can "stretch" this ecosystem? Sofia Quaresma notes that Praia do Norte is a confined place and that is not well prepared in terms of accessibility, "suddenly come many people here in mass. Obviously, these people will need to park, paths to go to the beach, drink many bottles of water, so they will leave a lot of garbage".
The biologist also observes "if one day we have 500 people who come here and half of them leave cigarette butts, cigarette packets, bottle of waters in the dunes, it is clear that the impact on the ecosystem is big". Thus, this ecosystem carrying capacity is exceeded, with the aggravating circumstance of this location also being exposed to litter from other parts of the world, since the sea has no borders, adds Sofia Quaresma: "garbage someone leaves here, either involuntarily or by sloppiness, can also go to any other part of the planet. The problem is huge exactly because of this".
In a quick litter collection at Praia do Norte, this biologist found the most diverse types of non-biodegradable waste: fishing floats, cotton swabs sticks, straws, plastic bottles, plastic caps ... "It is desirable that the people use the space with rules and appropriate behaviours. Because after all, we are in a place that is wild and that is public ", concludes Sofia Quaresma.
Marine biologist Gonçalo Calado believes that this Praia do Norte wave phenomenon is a relevant example of "a paradigm shift in relation to the sea, the sea economy and new uses of the sea". Professor and researcher at the Lusófona University, Gonçalo Calado notes that this is the same wave "was once feared by fishermen", which often prevented them from taking their income from the sea. Currently, this wave longed by everyone, surfers and those who make their living from tourism, "and it is the wave which brings sustenance, but now in a different way".
In an article published in the Portuguese daily newspaper "Público" in January 2013, Gonçalo Calado wrote that "the wave in Nazaré is one of the most challenging new uses of the sea," (17) considering it even a subject of State importance for the global visibility it achieved. The marine biologist drew a parallel with the Azores, where the fishing ban on whales in 1987 boosted the "transfer of economic activity from whaling for the observation of these animals," and thus a tourist industry that "now worth millions a year ".
For Gonçalo Calado, the key issue is to potentiate the wave, trying to get its unique features further disclosed and properly explored, with the focus on high-end infrastructure, such as interpretation centres and high performance centres for testing equipment, "everything else, from the local economy and even the country economy, will come after that". Basically, stresses Gonçalo Calado, we must know how to use the "pretext of the Nazaré wave" so that more people come and get to know this village, the western region and even Portugal”.
To the exterior, Nazaré is now seen as very desirable in many different levels: to promote brands, for real estate investment, for innovative small businesses, for ocean literacy initiatives, among other possible examples. But, is the local population actually benefiting from the Praia do Norte notoriety?
For the current mayor of Nazaré, Walter Chicharro, Nazaré is on a good track, "the impact of the giant waves on the daily life of the people of Nazaré, in the last 3 or 4 years, is something very visible." For the mayor, in charge since 2013, the Praia do Norte waves global recognition made it possible to "attack a low part of the tourist year", namely the months of October and November. Even better, this also allowed Nazaré to have "more dynamism” during the high season of summer, notes Walter Chicharro. The support his claim, the city council responsible provides the following numbers: 80,000 tickets sold to visit the Forte de São Miguel and 838,000 of Nazaré lift passengers in 2015.
In addition, the mayor Walter Chicharro mentions the presentation of several foreign business proposals, which demonstrate the notoriety achieved by Nazaré: "in the short term, I believe that in the hospitality area, (we will have) two or three new hotels: different concepts, ranging from a luxury hotel a luxury aparthotel". Also in the future, Walter Chicharro points the requalification of access to the Forte de São Miguel as an important project as well as the promotion of international events, some of them already scheduled for 2016, as is the case in October of one of the world tour events of the Association of Professional Bodyboarders.
The optimistic view of the Nazaré mayor is also shared by Dino Casimiro, one of the young people who started the process that would culminate in the world record wave by Garrett McNamara in 2011. "Nazaré had a great development at tourism level, economic level, "says Dino Casimiro, noting that although there is still no studies that prove it, one thing is certain: "Nazaré no longer so dependent on the summer as it was before".
With a degree in sports education, Dino Casimiro was born in 1977 in Nazaré, and currently he works for the municipal company Nazaré Qualifica. Also, Dino Casimiro is one of the founders of the Alternative Sports Club Nazaré (Clube de Desportos Alternativos da Nazaré - CDAN), as well as leader and coach. To understand how Garrett McNamara won the biggest wave ever surfed world record at Praia do Norte it is necessary to know the history of CDAN and even know the history of surfing in Nazaré. Dino Casimiro made an important contribution to this process by sending to Garrett McNamara a photograph taken in 2005 - this is a turning point, which is part of a story that deserves to be known ...
On the due use of the Praia do Norte notoriety, Dino Casimiro believes that there is still much to be done "the wave of Nazaré can be a catalyst for everything. Because we have a beautiful surrounding area, for the sports practice, to educate our children for environmental issues". Importantly, the qualification of the different activities related to tourism, observes this Nazaré Qualifica technician: "we have to welcome our visitors correctly, to give value to those who visit us and return with a smile, with our kindness and with a quality service". Nazaré at the centre of the surfing world - this is a strong conviction Dino Casimiro, who sees this sport as a good excuse for promoting Nazaré and the surrounding region, "when we communicate the wave, we show the beauty of Nazaré, his culture, gastronomy. This makes Nazaré special - because Nazaré is special. "
João Vidinha notes that the Praia do Norte reputation "gave more recognition to the sport. It helped make surfing as a sport to practice", noting that the number of practitioners has increased, as well as students and schools. Crave Surfboards is an expanding company, which is currently located in a fishing warehouse located at the Nazaré harbour. Besides wishing for more surfers to come, João Vidinha does not forget the importance of fishing activity in Nazaré: "I would like to see improvements in fishing. I know that the Nazaré that much more to give. "
Similarly, other owners of small traditional businesses of Nazaré - like selling dried fish and local crafts - verify some improvement in their business, although they recognize that others have benefited more.
Nazaré thus faces a major challenge: how to take advantage of new opportunities generated by the global reputation of Praia do Norte giant waves, wisely combining economic progress with the improvement of the population's quality of life, while protecting the environment?
Riding the Nazaré wave is an art for only a few, or is it a common and shared objective? Who will effectively benefit with the global popularity of Nazaré and Praia do Norte - and how?
To prove the international dimension already conquered the Praia do Norte, Nazaré will be one of the stages for the World Surf League "Big Wave Tour", running from 15 October 2016 to 28 February 2017. Nazaré is one of the six places where this world championship will take place, along with Punta de Lobos (Chile), Pico Alto (Peru), Pe'ahi (Hawaii), Puerto Escondido and Todos Santos (Mexico).
This wave has always been there:
it just started to be ridden...
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Universidade Lusófona de Humanidades e Tecnologias
Campo Grande, 376
1749-024 Lisboa - Portugal
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