Vitor Oliveira

I am one of those surfers who takes the car key to the water inside my wetsuit - not necessarily because I want to, but because I can. If you're not one of those lucky individuals who can walk to your home break and then back home every time you surf, then this might relate to you. However, the following words apply to anyone carrying any type of key inside their neoprene protection while riding waves. I am writing this because, after more than three decades of surfing, I just experienced a slightly dangerous situation involving these small, uncomfortable metallic objects that we take close to our bodies into the water. So, here's my setup. I own a Nissan Qashqai. It came with an anti-theft system key. It's basically a bundle: an electronic remote with a detachable, water-resistant intelligent key. They need each other to start the engine, so it's my most convenient setup when I don't have alternatives. The Car Key Under the Wetsuit Method So, whenever I g...

"You should've been here yesterday" is one of the most unpleasant things a surfer can hear from another. It's annoying and almost offensive. Surfers can be particularly mean to each other. What is the point of making clear to someone in front of you that they've just barely missed an amazing event or experience? What do we gain from telling another surfer we just lived an unforgettable moment that the other person missed? To frame our point of view, the starting point for this reflection is the realization that surfers are the worst. If you disagree or you're not able to cope with different ideas and opinions, then it's probably not worth continuing to read this. The Lineup as a Catwalk So, here's the harsh truth: surfing is a show-off sport . Yes, we get pleasure from the rides and the contact with the ocean, but a relevant part of the process is also attracting attention and admiration. A lineup is a vanity fair with a liquid catwalk on whi...

Surfers and swimmers are among the groups of humans that more often face sharks, and when they do , the consequences can be severe. Australian scientists from Flinders University have now put near "shark-proof" wetsuit fabrics to the test, biting into them with live sharks, to see if new materials can cut down the damage. But these fabrics aren't medieval-like chainmail. They're actually wearable materials. Modern wetsuits could soon incorporate ultra-strong fibers like Kevlar and Dyneema (ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene) as an interesting protective layer to stop big predators while still letting surfers move, paddle around, and catch waves. In the 1970s, chainmail shark suits gave divers extra protection, but they were heavy and stiff. Innovative Fabrics in Wetsuits The future of anti-shark bite wetsuits uses different approaches. Four cutting-edge fabrics were tested: Aqua Armour: a modern chainmail-style system with metal link pads layered insid...

The idea that waves do not carry matter - just energy - is quite fascinating. When we're by the sea watching beautiful swell lines marching from infinity through the horizon line and toward the shore, our vision witnesses two things: a form and movement. In other words, and to make it even simpler, we watch a kind of hidden rolling pin traveling underneath the water surface in our direction. Eventually, that cylindrical shape we call a wave feels the bottom of the ocean and collapses closer to the beach. We tend to associate things we see with our eyes with matter, thus mass (weight and inertia). Wikipedia's "matter" entry says it all in the first sentence. "Matter is any substance that has mass and takes up space by having volume," the article tells. And this description is quite clear, isn't it? It's objects and palpable things. So, when we look at a wave, we tend to see a "thing" in motion, just like a Formula 1 car going at fu...

Many people think that in navigation rules, one boat automatically gets a "right of way" over another, like cars at an intersection. That's not actually true at sea. Instead, the rules talk about two roles: The "give-way" vessel, which must move or change course to avoid a collision; The "stand-on" vessel, which is supposed to keep its course and speed steady so the give-way vessel can predict its movement and steer safely; But "stand on" does not mean you get to do whatever you want or that you own the water. It's an obligation, not a privilege. In fact, if the give-way vessel isn't taking action quickly enough and a collision looks likely, the standing vessel must also take action to avoid an accident. And sometimes there isn't even a stand-on vessel at all. For example, if two powerboats are heading straight toward each other, both are give-way vessels - they both have to change course to avoid crashing. Neither has...

In the middle of the Arizona desert, where you'd expect dust, cactus, and maybe a few roosters, a small group of builders has created something no one thought they'd find there: a private wave pool called The Wave Source. Pro surfer and YouTuber Ben Gravy was the first outsider invited to test it. "I got a message on Instagram that just said, 'Call me. We have a backyard wave," he recalled. At first, he ignored it. A follow-up note explained, "It's our first prototype. We'd love your opinion." A phone call and a signed non-disclosure agreement later, Gravy was on the road from California to rural Arizona. When he arrived, it was far from tropical. The desert morning was about 45 °F (7 °C), cold enough to see your breath. The pool sat inside a compound "in the middle of nowhere," he said. But what waited out back was a working surf machine built without contractors, designed with nuclear-grade parts, and designed to be affordable...

If you're an airline manager or a corporate communications professional working at an air passenger carrier, then this article is for you. Let us introduce ourselves. We are surfers. We travel often - by foot, car, bus, metro, train, and airplane. And yes, we are aware that the airline industry is a tough business and one of the least profitable sectors in modern capitalism. We also know that reputation is still one of your greatest assets and that it many times makes the difference when a consumer chooses this - and not that - airline. That said, we agree that each airline has its own commercial priorities and preferred revenue streams. We reckon it is OK to change strategy. It's fine if you can't please everyone. Fair enough. The problem is that you go very quickly from selling and promoting yourselves as a surfboard-friendly air carrier to despising the large, fragile, and difficult-to-transport wave-riding object. This isn't new, though, and it makes it real...

Santa Cruz is famous for Steamer Lane and its cold water surf, but a new study led by Save the Waves Coalition shows just how much those waves are worth and how climate change could wipe out a big chunk of that value. Researchers found that surfing brings in at least $194.7 million a year to the local economy, with about $44.5 million of that coming from visitor trips and another $150.2 million tied to spending on boards, gear, repairs, lessons, and services. The numbers add up fast: roughly 783,000 surf sessions take place annually across the 31 breaks that make up the Santa Cruz World Surfing Reserve. That's quite impressive, but sea level rise is set to change that picture. Right now, 10 of those breaks are surfable more than half the daylight hours in a year, and only two are rarely surfable. With one foot of sea level rise, surfability across the reserve drops nearly 30 percent, leaving only seven breaks surfable more than half the time and two breaks almost completely ...

When is the best time to visit Nazaré to watch the big waves? How do you know when an XXL swell is hitting Praia do Norte? Here's a guide to Portugal's ultimate big wave surfing break. The sound of the giant waves breaking just below the iconic lighthouse is as impressive as their size. The thunderous roar of the massive detonating walls of water crashing a few meters from us is definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience. People from all corners of Planet Earth plan a visit to Nazaré. They come from Asia, the Americas, and even Portugal's antipode, New Zealand. The big waves of Nazaré are a natural wonder of the world, but also the arena for surfing's most extreme discipline. Fear and adrenaline go hand in hand at Praia do Norte, the exact beach where Guinness World Records are set and broken. To witness the showdown at its best, careful planning (and a pinch of luck) increases the chances of being part of an unforgettable experience. Believe us - we know Nazaré...

Mobile phones in the lineup. Here's something that I had never seen in decades, but I shouldn't be surprised at all. This is a real story of a very unusual event I witnessed just yesterday, as I paddled out at my home break for a late summer sunset surfing session. One of the reasons why I haven't surfed as much as I could is that I have been somehow feeling disappointed and blue about the path the surf culture has been taking. I truly believe that social media is ruining surfing. Or, at least, the experience of surfing as a healthy getaway from our demanding daily lives. A recent study published in Portugal about the time spent by high school students in front of screens revealed frightening figures. "Four hours on cell phones, three hours on social media, two hours watching television, two hours on the computer/tablet, one hour watching videos, one hour listening to music, one hour playing video games, and 30 minutes reading books and reading/watching or liste...

Dear Readers: Today, SurferToday celebrates its 18th anniversary. The age of majority is obviously a special moment. SurferToday can now vote, drive a car, and enjoy a drink responsibly in nearly all countries. It's hard to imagine that something that started as a hobby has grown and become such an influential voice worldwide. In the past 18 years, SurferToday has steadily built a platform of credibility, authority, reputation, trustworthiness, and positive, constructive influence, not only within the surf and skate world but also across mainstream media, the scientific community, academia, and the action sports industry. We innovated the way we create content; the others followed. We set trends; the others copied our editorial lines. And as we aged, SurferToday turned experience into expertise. Although it's sometimes frustrating to witness such a lack of authenticity and creativity from our dearest competitors, it's also satisfying to know we somehow pioneered mod...

There is something profoundly wrong when, in the 21st century, a surf competition is cut short due to water pollution from a sewage spill. This actually happened, not in Africa, Latin America, or Asia, but in the heart of England, in Porthtowan, Cornwall. It seems like the more we're told progress and development are underway by politicians and company executives, the worse our quality of life is. So, how can a surfing event featuring 140 athletes be suddenly suspended while the contest is underway? "Our 2025 English Interclub Surfing Championships had to be canceled today, whilst surfers were in the water," noted Hannah Brand, operations manager at Surfing England, the national governing body for the sport in the country. "We were informed by lifeguards that the beach was being red-flagged due to a sewage discharge." "In response, we immediately called off the contest and asked all surfers to leave the water, as the health and safety of our competit...

Adventure is on our doorstep. With so many different bodies of water available to paddleboarders, from city canals to coastal routes, we can find adventure in places much closer to home than people might initially expect. According to the Canal and River Trust, 50 percent of people in England and Wales live within just eight kilometers of a canal or river, and eight million people live less than one kilometer away. I had lived within just a few kilometers of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal for years and never really explored it before stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) came into my life . The challenge created both a new perspective and a deeper love for where I lived and the areas which I passed through. On my coast-to-coast journey, I slept in my own bed for two nights as the route passed through my then hometown of Skipton, yet I felt I was on a grand journey of discovery. We are braver, stronger, and more resilient than we think. SUP not only helps us feel more connected to our va...

What should the role of high-profile professional surfers be when it comes to their presence on social media and the messages they convey to millions of fans and the general public? Where do you draw the line between what to say and what not to say? Are there topics that should be addressed more than others? Which things should and shouldn't be addressed? How relevant are the opinions of pro surfers on politics, religion, and health? Is there an optimal balance of common sense, fairness, and moderation when you're an influential personality with a voice that echoes across the world? I admit to having more questions and doubts than answers and solutions. However, the exercise of reflection is never too much, so here we go. From Beach Bum to a Role Model Sport Long are the days when surfers were among the pariahs of society. The image of the blonde and tanned beach bum surfer that the media and Hollywood helped build is nearly deconstructed. Nowadays, surfing enjoys a r...