Portugal by Locals
Words by Pedro Batista
The connection and fascination with the sea can happen at various stages of our lives, and so was the case with the artist, Pedro Batista. Since he was a child, being in the water has always seemed magical to him and over time this relationship has deepened. In the new series, Portugal By Locals, you will meet people who are passionate about sports and who embody this lifestyle in their essence.
What is your connection to the sea?
My connection to the sea and fascination with water started when I was a kid. I was captivated by the beach during the summer and swimming 3x a week.
Being in the water always felt magical to me. However, it was the passion for skateboarding, at age 8 that connected me to a different culture other than surf culture, though both have always been very close to one another. It was with the vibe of the 90's serving as backdrop, that I created garage bands with friends, built skate ramps on the streets, and basically lived there as well. At the same time I felt an attraction to the sea and to surfing whenever I passed by Carcavelos beach during the winter. As I lived and studied in Carcavelos, this encounter with surfing happened a few years later, when I was 16, through a friend who skated and surfed. He lent me a wetsuit full of holes and an old board. Since then, I have never stopped.
Discovering surfing had a profound impact on my life. I became a happier, more pragmatic person, fully aware of what is essential in life, and what isn’t. Let’s say I discovered a spiritual side, as a realization that the present is more important than all the wishful scenarios we produce in our minds. It was an awakening through an activity that connected me to nature, to people (friends), and to living with more enthusiasm and happiness.
The humility we feel when we are exposed to the elements that accompany surfing is extraordinary. The smell of the sand until we reach the sea, the wind in our faces, the cold water on our feet, the silence of the first duck dive, the magical feeling of gliding on a wave, and the helplessness we feel when we are rolled by a wave... and many other experiences that surfing and the sea offers us in this constant exercise of adaptation. At the risk of sounding cliché, the truth is that we are alive very little time (as you may already know ;) and that we never know how much time we have left, so the path is always forward no matter how difficult or challenging it may seem. This is my relationship with the sea, which is ultimately my relationship with myself and others.
Happy surfing!
Photos by: Carlos Pinto
