Is Nazaré all about Praia do Norte? Absolutely not. Here's an ode to flawless five-foot cylinders pumping at a nearby secret spot.
They call themselves Nazaré Locals, and they are a dedicated group of wave riders who protect the waves, the environment, and the beaches of the Portuguese fishing town.
They demand respect because they've been surfing these waves for a long time. Whether they're charging on a bodyboard or surfboard, this is their territory, and they make sure it is not controlled by foreign big wave athletes who've just heard of Nazaré and its canyon.
The Nazaré Locals know the secrets of their neighborhood. And there's a lot to explore in the long stretch of coastline north of Praia do Norte; endless beach breaks that work on different tides, swells, winds, and sand banks.
Five bodyboarders found a right-hand heaven on the outskirts of Nazaré and tore it apart to kick off the new year in grand form. António Cardoso, Dino Carmo, Luís Coelho, Hugo Macatrão, and André Bernardo got barreled to exhaustion.
Some of the riders spent no less than eight hours in the water, so it's easy to imagine how good it was on January 3rd. António Cardoso and Dino Carmo have competed on the 2016 APB World Tour and, hopefully, they will return stronger for the 2017 season.