Photography: Gary Ingelmo
Simon Murphy is an australian bodyboarder of Gold Coast who enjoys going to Ericeira for some sunny days and offshore conditions. Aged 37, with over 20 years of bodyboarding, Murphy has lived in Basque Country, Spain, for six years and, any chance he gets, he gets in his minivan and heads south, along the portuguese coast, until he stops in our ‘jagoz’ town.
Last week, Murphy returned to Ericeira to enjoy some great waves that emerged on the shore. AZUL exchanged some words with him and discovered what he finds so attractive in Ericeira that justifies his eight-hours-trips by car just to catch some waves.
What brought you to Ericeira last weekend?
I decided to come to Ericeira and Portugal because in the North of Spain we’ve had a month of onshore winds, cold and, basically, lousy weather, and I noticed the sunny and offshore conditions that were happening here. The waves weren’t that big, but I thought Ericeira to be the best option.
Was it your first time in Ericeira? Where did you go bodyboarding?
No, I’ve been there five or six times already in the last few years. I was around Pedra Branca.
To go by morning to the pastry shop and have a cake and a coffee is absolutelly the best you can give me.
How did these bodyboarding days went by?
It got a little too crowded by Friday afternoon, but I was still able to get some fun waves very early on Saturday morning, while everyone was still asleep (laughing). We got around 1 meter high good clean waves.
What differences do you find between the waves in Basque Country and in Ericeira?
In Basque Country we have few reefs. In Ericeira there are lots of options in a short span of coast. Up there in the North of Spain we have to rive a lot and most of the waves have a sand floor. Ericeira also has insane waves for bodyboarding, as in Cave. I surfed there during my first trip to Ericeira 10 years ago and it was unbelievable.
Simon Murphy and Gary Ingelmo.
And where do you rank the culture and the sights?
Regarding its culture it seemed pretty quiet to me. To go by morning to the pastry shop and have a cake and a coffee is absolutelly the best you can give me. The hospitality of the locals who took us in was also fantastic. I also enjoy the fact of not having huge buildings and almost all houses being white, almost blending in with the coast line. But the best in Ericeira is the sunset, they were amazing everyday.
What do you take with yourself from this experience in Ericeira back to Basque Country?
I’m a little more tanned from the winter’s sun (laughing). But seriously, I bring back great memories from the new and old local friends.
Do you think of returning soon?
Definately, as soon as possible! By car it only takes a eight hours trip from home to Ericeira so if I have any spare time from work and if the conditions are good, I’ll return.
[responsive_vimeo 81645273 wmode_opaque]
Esta publicação também está disponível em | This article is also available in: Portuguese (Portugal)
