A group of Portuguese surfers has been surfing waves with the help of catamarans in the River Tejo in Lisbon, Portugal. On rush hour, the flat waters of Tejo get a very special 2-foot swell in rather unusual conditions.
Catamarans linking both sides of River Tejo are creating waves that can be ridden by surfers on certain days and hours, depending on the schedule of the big boat, the tide and moon phase.
"This is a dream we have. We do not live in front of a beach with waves, but surfing has become a reality at the doorstep," says Ricardo Carrajola, a local surfer.
"It's funny, and it's something different, something that is not seen worldwide."
Riders between 25 and 26 years old have been enjoying this unlikely surf spot in a country full of world-class wave peaks.
Surfing conditions in the River Tejo have improved in recent years because the old transportation ferries have been replaced by modern full-throttle catamarans.
Actually, when catamarans pass by a group of surfers, they wave their hands, asking the skipper to accelerate to get bigger and better waves.
"We are dependent on several conditions: tides, wind, boat speed, and if they're full or empty. It is not an easy thing to catch. Some days, we cannot catch a wave at all," adds Carrajola.
Some Boats Are Better Than Others
Ricardo studied all the variables and discovered that there are only six days in which good waves can be ridden in the River Tejo.
Also, waves only appear within a 10-minute interval, in fact, the time between two catamarans crossing Barreiro-Lisboa.
"In an ocean wave, you can see it forming, position yourself, and understand what the wave is going to do. Here, it's different," says Nuno Prince, another local rider of the River Tejo wave.
"The boat passes, and you need local knowledge to understand what the wave will give you. Even so, we cannot always be in the right place at the right time."
Marcos Anastacio, a former Portuguese national champion, believes there's a special catamaran with special artificial wave powers.
"The 8:20 am boat is very good. It's the 'Gil Vicente' and produces a good swell".
Watch them riding artificial catamaran waves.