I was born a couple of Kms away from this beach (as the crow flies)! I started frequenting it as early as 1960 aged 4 weeks.
This beach was my life from my late teens to early 20's. Surfing was the common denominator between all the friendships that were made. I was never any good and preferred to swim the strong swell. Had a tan from early February until late October slightly fading for Xmas season. Most conversations were made around the weather report, wind direction, swell height, lefts, rights or close outs, Gerry Lopez, Lightning Bolt and Hang Ten surfwear. Ah, almost forgot... The movie "Big Wednesday" with the famous shout "More beer!"
I remember a time in 1974 where there were only two surfboarders, João Filipe (Xoné) e Topê (António Pedro Rocha). Later there were a few more like Paulo Inocentes (chronic National Champion for years).
It was a time of energy, alcohol and drugs and sex and rock & roll and loads of beer.
The day to day of beach contemplation would be interrupted a few times each year with the arrival of the "standard" Aussie loner surf bum in his Europe pilgrimage always with a nearly dead VW camper van with Netherlands number plates.
Sometimes I miss the endless view of the Atlantic Ocean with the cargo ships anchored in Cascais waiting for a pilot to take them to Lisbon harbour.
It was also a time of madness, drug induced or just youth. Many friends and acquaintances never made it, never aged, never got married, never had children; just stopped when the images you are seeing now had not yet become memories.