Big Waves · Nazaré · Portugal
Most people see Nazaré from the lighthouse: a wall of water, a jet ski, a tiny figure racing down the face. From where I stand, it looks different. As the spotter for the Nazaré Nexus team, my job on a big day is not to watch the show. It is to read the ocean for the riders, pick the waves that can change their lives, and see every danger before it reaches them.
This is Nazaré from the spotter’s seat, and how you can feel a small part of it yourself, safely.
By Rui Ferreira — Founder of Sea Krew, former professional big-wave rider, official spotter for the Nazaré Nexus team.
In short: a big-wave spotter reads the swell from outside the water and guides the tow team by radio: which wave to take, where the danger is, when to get out. At Nazaré, safety always comes first. With Sea Krew you can experience this world in two ways: a one-hour guided jet ski tour with the Nazaré Nexus pilots, or a half-day trip from Ericeira with a local walking tour and a backstage visit to the pro big-wave teams.
What a spotter actually does at Nazaré
In tow surfing, the rider is pulled into the wave by a jet ski because the waves are too big and too fast to paddle into. The rider sees the wave only seconds before the drop. The pilot is focused on speed, position and the rope. Someone has to see the whole picture. That is the spotter.
From the cliff, I follow the sets forming far out at sea, count the waves, watch how each one is building and where it will break. I call the wave, tell the team where to position, and warn them about what they cannot see from the water: the next set, the whitewater closing in, a rider in trouble, a ski that needs to go in for a rescue.
Coach’s note: on a big day, my first question is never “which is the biggest wave?” It is “can we get everyone out safely from this one?” Safety first is not a slogan at Nazaré. It is the only way the team gets to surf the next swell.
Reading the waves for someone else
My years as a professional rider in big waves are what I use most as a spotter. When you have been on the other side, you know what the rider feels at the top of the wave, and you know what a bad choice costs. So I read the ocean as if I were the one about to drop.
The goal is to give the riders the biggest wave of their lives, the one that can make history. Many teams come to Nazaré chasing the limit: the biggest wave ever surfed. But the best wave is not the biggest one on the horizon. It is the biggest one they can ride and come back from. That choice is made in seconds, and it is made from the cliff.
Why the view from outside the water matters
From outside the water you see everything: the glory and the danger of the person riding the biggest wave. The rider falling at speed, the whitewater that can hold someone under, the rocks near the lighthouse, the next set arriving while the rescue is still happening. Those risks are countless at Nazaré, and they are why every serious team works with a spotter, pilots and a safety plan.
Praia do Norte works the way it does because of a deep underwater canyon in front of Nazaré, which focuses the Atlantic swell towards the beach. The biggest days usually happen in autumn and winter, when the North Atlantic storms send long, powerful swells. Several world records for the biggest wave ever surfed have been set here.
Feel it yourself: the Nazaré jet ski tour
You do not need to be a professional surfer to feel what it is like out there. Sea Krew organises a guided jet ski tour with the Nazaré Nexus pilots, the most skilled and safest pilots I have seen working today. You ride on the sled at the back or seated on the jet ski, and they take you close to the waves, reading the ocean the same way they do for the riders.
You see the waves up close and feel the tension of everyone in the water, as if you were part of the team. The tour lasts about one hour and costs €350 per person. People often tell us it was the best hour of their life.
Book the jet ski tour · €350 per person
The tour only goes out when the pilots decide the conditions are safe for guests. The ocean decides the day; we never force it.
The Nazaré day trip: the story told by the people who lived it
Nazaré was a fishing village long before it was a big-wave capital. Its history is full of courage, loss and a deep relationship with the ocean. Our half-day Nazaré trip starts in Ericeira with return van transport. In Nazaré, a local takes you on a 2-hour walking tour and tells the story of the town as it was lived: by them, their families and their friends. It is an incredibly close, human way to understand the town and the sea around it.
Then we take you backstage with the professional big-wave teams: where the riders, pilots and safety crews prepare, and how a big day is organised behind the scenes. The trip costs €130 per person in a group (minimum 3 people), with a private option available. Add the jet ski tour if you want to feel the waves from the water.
Planning a longer visit? Our Nazaré travel guide covers the beaches, the lighthouse, where to eat and what to do on flat days.
| Experience | What it is |
|---|---|
| Jet ski tour with Nazaré Nexus | About 1 hour on the sled or seated on the ski, close to the waves, with professional big-wave pilots. €350 per person. |
| Nazaré half-day trip from Ericeira | Return transport from Ericeira, 2-hour walking tour with a local and a backstage visit to the pro big-wave teams. €130 per person (group, minimum 3). |
| Watching from the cliff | Free, from the lighthouse at Praia do Norte. Stay behind the barriers on big days. |
Frequently asked questions
What does a spotter do in big-wave surfing?
The spotter watches from the cliff or a high point, reads the incoming sets and guides the tow team by radio: which wave to take, where to position, and where the dangers are. The spotter is also key in coordinating rescues.
Can I go on a jet ski at Nazaré?
Yes. Sea Krew organises guided jet ski tours with the Nazaré Nexus pilots. You ride on the sled or seated on the ski, and the tour only goes out when the pilots decide conditions are safe.
How much is the Nazaré jet ski tour?
The guided jet ski tour costs €350 per person for about one hour.
Can I visit Nazaré on a day trip from Ericeira?
Yes. Our half-day trip includes return transport from Ericeira, a 2-hour walking tour with a local and a backstage visit to the pro big-wave teams, for €130 per person in a group (minimum 3 people).
When are the biggest waves at Nazaré?
The biggest days usually come in autumn and winter, when North Atlantic storms send large swells. No big day is guaranteed: each session depends on the forecast. Planning a trip in the cold months? Our guide to surfing Portugal in winter covers water temperatures, wetsuits and where to surf.
Want to feel Nazaré up close?
Book the half-day trip from Ericeira, or go straight to the water with the one-hour jet ski tour. We follow the forecast with the Nazaré Nexus team and confirm the best window with you.
Sea conditions and weather vary every day. Big-wave days cannot be guaranteed, and jet ski tours only run when the pilots consider conditions safe for guests. Safety always comes first.