Ocean Club Ericeira

We're crazy about riding ocean waves. Join us!

Outrigger Canoeing

Outrigger canoeing is a sport that consists of racing using Hawaiian or Polynesian canoes. Using these canoes to race ocean waves is also possible, giving the sport a more recreational component.

Both modalities have a strong tradition in Hawaii, and are now beginning to gain some traction in Europe, particularly within the Basque Country community, and are now also emerging in Portugal.

In Portugal, the sport was introduced in Ericeira by Mark Durbano and Miguel Ruivo Ruivo, and some reference points for surfing with OC4 have already been identified, such as Praia do Sul and some peaks between it and Praia do Lizandro, Ribeira D'Ilhas, and Praia de S. Pedro do Estoril, although many other peaks remain to be explored.

Surfing

Ericeira has long attracted people seeking some of the best waves in the world, officially recognized in 2010 as a World Surfing Reserve, unique in Europe.

It is in this environment that the various activities of the OCE – Ocean Club of Ericeira take place, with a special focus on surfing, and all levels of training and instruction.

A team of qualified and renowned coaches, both in terms of competition and sports training, allows the OCE to offer quality training to all levels of athletes, supported by decades of experience in teaching and training surfing, unique in Portugal.

Tow-in Surfing

This tow-in surfing technique, initiated by Hawaiian surfers Laird Hamilton, Buzzy Kerbox, and Dave Kalama, among others, in the mid-1990s, is very useful for approaching large waves or waves that form too quickly to be caught by paddling alone.

The Ericeira area has excellent conditions for tow-in surfing, with perfectly formed waves that, on days with larger swells, are particularly impressive. Peaks such as Praia do Norte, São Lourenço, Cave, and Praia do Sul, among others, exemplify high-quality waves suitable for jet ski-assisted surfing, especially on days when access without mechanical protection and support becomes very dangerous, if not impossible.

Tow-in surfing and associated rescue techniques are extremely important for developing the skills of shipwreck rescue operators and, consequently, for preserving the safety of bathing areas. This is evidenced by the increasing use of jet skis and their sleds (boards used to rescue shipwrecked individuals) invented by surfers for this purpose.

The Ericeira Ocean Club (OCE) aims to contribute to the proper and regulated development of this sport, both in Ericeira and throughout the rest of the country, working in partnership with the territorial administration and the National Maritime Authority.

Foil Surfing

Until recently, with rare exceptions, it was only possible to surf in specific stretches of coastline that actually had waves.

A creative combination of already used technologies has allowed the traditional fin used in surfboards to be replaced by the so-called foil fin. A longer, hydrodynamic piece with fin-shaped wings at its base.

The movement of the foil fin in the water lifts the board above the surface, allowing the surfer to literally glide with the help of a small wave yet to break and to perform tighter turns due to the smaller surface area in contact with the water.

The adaptation of the foil fin to surfboards has significantly altered the paradigm of space limitation for surfers, opening up a huge range of new options and exponentially increasing the area available for the progress of new foil surfers to ride waves. This is a relatively new sport that may seem complex to many. But just like surfing, which a few decades ago was also an eccentric sport, it's very likely that in the not-too-distant future there will be thousands of practitioners enjoying the new experiences that foiling brings, whether in surfing or SUP (Stand Up Paddleboarding).

The O.C.E. aims to contribute to a rapid, regulated, and safe expansion of these sports off the coast of Ericeira, with obvious advantages for practitioners and the sport itself, and new opportunities for the regional economy. We count on the support of our community.