Nazaré: The Monster of Big Waves

Kai Lenny surfs giant waves in Nazaré, Portugal, 2020 - Mattias Hammar / Red Bull Content Pool

On the coast of Portugal lies Praia do Norte, a place where the ocean seems to defy all logic. Every European winter, surfers from around the world arrive to challenge mountains of water that can exceed 20 meters in height, while hundreds of spectators watch from the town’s famous lighthouse.

For years, Nazaré remained relatively unnoticed within the surfing world until 2011, when American surfer Garrett McNamara rode a wave estimated at 23.8 meters. That session traveled across the globe; images of Nazaré spread worldwide through documentaries, broadcasts, and social media, turning the small Portuguese town into a global phenomenon.

Garrett McNamara performs a maneuver during a big wave surfing session in Nazaré, Portugal, 2014 - Jeff Flindt / Red Bull Content Pool

Every winter, thousands of people gather at the Forte de São Miguel Arcanjo lighthouse to witness waves exploding against the Portuguese cliffs. This phenomenon occurs thanks to the Nazaré Canyon, a massive underwater formation stretching approximately 230 kilometers long and reaching depths of up to 5,000 meters.

This canyon acts as a natural amplifier, concentrating the energy of Atlantic swells and transforming them into gigantic waves when swell, wind, and tide conditions align perfectly.

General view of waves breaking at Praia do Norte with the lighthouse in the foreground in Nazaré, Portugal, 2023 - Ricardo Bravo / Red Bull Content Pool

Since then, riders from all over the world have traveled there each season seeking the biggest waves of their lives. Brazilian surfer Rodrigo Koxa broke the record in 2017 after riding a wave close to 24.4 meters, until German surfer Sebastian Steudtner reached a wave estimated at more than 26 meters in 2020, considered one of the largest ever recorded in surfing history.

But behind the epic images lies an extreme level of risk; athletes train physically for years and work alongside specialized rescue teams to enter and exit the waves quickly. Many also wear inflatable safety vests, as a fall can result in violent wipeouts beneath tons of water and currents capable of holding a surfer underwater for several seconds.

Spectators take photos of the giant wave formed in Nazaré, Portugal, 2014 - Jeff Flindt / Red Bull Content Pool

However, this does not stop riders from returning year after year to the Portuguese spot to face the monster of Nazaré, where any mistake can have serious consequences. For this reason, Praia do Norte has become a place where fear and adrenaline constantly coexist, reminding the world that there are still waves capable of seeming unreal and surfers willing to push the physical and mental limits of the sport.