October 2020 - Aguda Beach, Arcozelo, Portugal
By Noam Friedman
Over the past three years I have been nomading around the world with my cameras, connecting, creating and moving. I first learned of Aguda beach in Arcozelo, Portugal while looking for a place to stay near Porto for two weeks during the winter of 2019. At the time, I traveling around Portugal with my partner, Guy, with a very low budget but infinite motivation to keep exploring around.
We arrived to Aguda Beach on a rainy day to say the least: the skies were grey and the prospects for sun weren’t looking much better. We turned over a happenstance Portuguese azulej, where the key to our rented house was hidden. We walked in and felt at home. For the first few days, it didn’t stop raining. The heavy rain kept on coming and the clouds were dark and heavy, but the waves……I could not ignore the sound of the wind and the waves, the volume of it crashing ashore.
Once I walked outside, it was there.
When the sun finally appeared, the town changed its facade with the street glistening in the wintery sun. Clear blue skies: Aguda Beach became a heaven for kite, wind and wave surfers.
The fishermen of Aguda touched my heart. I came with my cameras and just walked with, around and between, while they were working on their boats, preparing to go or coming from beyond the breakwater. I was there and smiled and they smiled back, an unspoken approval to stop and photograph their portraits. I murmured “Posso?” with respect to their work and time, trying not to bother.
The fishermen started smiling at me on the small streets and even give me a nod. After two weeks of walking around, taking pictures of them, I felt like more than just a visitor.
On the last Sunday morning I was let in the weekly fish action. When I walked into the holding dock they all stared at me but then their eyes invited me in. I showed a few off a few of the homemade scans I put on my phone just before I left and that made them more willing to be photographed. I even feel that they somewhat posed for me.
We saw sunny days and crazy storms while here, but the same people smiled at us and nodded. Aguda in the winter made me want to see the Aguda in the summer. Until next time…..
