Learn all about the types of people you’re guaranteed to run into the next time you book a stay at our Portugal surf camp in Ericeira.
Surf camp guests come in all shapes, sizes and personality types. At the end of the day, we love them all and are always happy to have people return time and time again. If we’re honest though, we do see a few archetypes roll through the doors.
The following list is made up of the most common types of guests we check into our surf camp in Portugal. Take note that we don’t want to offend anyone with these summaries. Chances are we slip into these categories, ourselves. What we do want though is for you to have a read and maybe have a laugh. So without further ado and no more rambling, here are 6 types of guests you can expect to meet at Rapture Ericeira.
1.The Musician
You’ve seen the Musician in hostels and on street corners busking. Now they’re staying at our surf camp and they want you to be part of their act. Commonly found strumming away on our trusty surf camp guitar, crooning to themselves in a sunny corner. The Musician is a man or woman who’s never far away from some kind of instrument.
Often sporting dreadlocks, a flannel shirt and a pair of ripped jeans but never any shoes, the Musician books our surf camp in Portugal for a couple of reasons. The first being that they want an audience and surf camps such as ours are always packed. The second is that they already somewhat resemble a surfer so they might as well live up to their image and learn the craft.
The Musician is in their element after a long day chasing waves, when the sun goes down and the green wine is flowing. It’s at this moment that they’ll begin to serenade the crew. Vance Joy’s hit tune Riptide is bound to make an appearance. As is something by Jack Johnson or perhaps Ben Harper.
One important thing to know about the Musician is that they travel alone. Stopping by our camp on a whim and leaving just as quickly as they arrived. This can give them an air of elusiveness and make them appear somewhat of a mystery to other guests. Our advice? Avoid direct eye contact, don’t leave your flip flops lying around and never ever request that they play Wonderwall.
2. The Eco-Warrior
The Eco-Warrior is one of the best guests we get to host at our Ericeira surf camp in Portugal. Not only do they dig the fact we don’t promote single-use plastics and that our surf camp’s location means you don’t need a car to reach the beach, the Eco-Warrior is a peace-loving human that makes friends easily. As such, they’re an essential part of the cool, easy-going vibe that Rapture is known for.
Often confused with the Musician in terms of appearance, the Eco-Warrior isn’t concerned with the latest trends, designer clothing or in some cases… showering. The good news here is that there’s no better way to wash off than a learn to surf session with multiple wipeouts. The sand and saltwater combo really exfoliates the skin after all.
The best thing about having the Eco-Warrior staying at our surf camp in Portugal is that they generally know where to source the freshest and healthiest meals. This means that during those couple of days when we’re not serving up A+ dishes, you can ask them to recommend an epic restaurant… because meat every day is overrated anyway, right?
If you want to get into a deep and meaningful discussion about the plight of the pygmy people in the Amazon or find out how to align your chakras, the Eco-Warrior generally knows whats up. Expect to make a lifelong friend when you meet an Eco-Warrior and enjoy those full-moon raves they’ll invariably invite you to.
3.The Core Lord
With little more on their agenda than catching the best waves on any given day, the Core Lord is the ultimate surfer. They might have a shock of blonde hair and sun-kissed skin or they may be bald as a bowling ball with a tan verging on translucent. To the Core Lord, looks don’t matter and neither does your assumptions about them. They’re here to do one thing and one thing only while at our surf camp in Portugal… surf.
Spot the Core Lord by their quietly confident demeanor. They’ve got nothing to prove by talking about past surf sessions they’ve had on mysto Indonesian slabs or regaling you with stories of finding undiscovered pointbreaks in Mexico. Nor will they make a fuss when the swell is big. To them, it’s just another day in the office and all they want to do is catch an epic ride.
In essence, the Core Lord is like a surfing ninja. Up before the sun has risen above the horizon, they’ll have racked up a 10-barrel tally before most of our Ericeira surf camp guests have woken up. In fact, you might not ever see the Core Lord surf. They know the more silent they are about when they’re heading out, the fewer people will be inclined to follow them.
A true soul surfer, the Core Lord isn’t interested in who’s leading the world title race. In fact, the further away from the competition scene the Core Lord can get, the better.
If you find yourself chatting to someone you suspect could be a Core Lord, don’t bother bringing competitive surfing up. Less you want to see their eyes glaze over, and the conversation goes as flat as a swimming pool.
4. The Party Animal
Who likes to drink all the beers and have a good time at our surf camp in Portugal? The Party Animal, that’s who. Arriving for the surf lessons but staying for the good times, the Party Animal is a classic guest that knows how to bring a crew together. No matter who you are, where you come from or what language you speak; the Party Animal communicates by turning up the music and dancing till the lights go out.
Being swept up into the Party Animal’s vortex might leave you a little worse for wear the next morning. Fear not though because your mood will improve once you begin to reminisce on the epic night you’ve just had. Albeit a night that seems somewhat blurry in the light of day.
You can recognize the Party Animal by their constant smile and that mischievous look in their eye. You know the look; it’s the one that says I’m here to chew gum and have fun… and I’m all out of gum. That being said, the enthusiasm of the Party Animals we’ve had through our surf camp in Portugal tends to carry over into the water. This means that in addition to ripping into the dancefloor every night, they’ll also try to rip in the water.
Before you proceed, read what our guests had to say about their stay at Rapture Surfcamps:
5. The Frother
It’s often said that what the Frother lacks in skill they make up for in eagerness. This makes them a welcome addition to any surf camp. Typically, we find that the Frother is the type of person who looks on the bright side of life. Never one to let something get them down, they’ll be out in the surf rain, fog and gale-force winds.
Because of keenness that the Frother possesses, they’re a fantastic type of person to learn to surf with. No matter how hard they nosedive, how long they’re held under for or how hard they bounce off the sand, the Frother will come to the surface with a grin on their face and let out a loud “Yew” to let people know they’re loving it.
This blind commitment to the act of learning to surf is incredibly endearing. The only problem is they tend to neglect everyone around them in favor of catching waves. Look out if you book a stay at our surf camp in Portugal and it turns out your partner is also a hardcore Frother. You can kiss romantic dinners together goodbye and say so long to watching sunrises in the morning side by side.
You’re just background noise to the Frother and unless you’re in the water with them you won’t get much attention. When it all comes down to it though, everyone loves the Frother. If only because they lead by example and always get back on the board to try again.
6. The Digital Nomad
If you thought our surf camp in Portugal was all play and no work, then you were dead wrong. Turns out that there are plenty of digital nomads at our location in Ericeira who hit the laptop between surf sessions. Dedicated but free-spirited, sociable but also independent, the Digital Nomad strives for a balanced life. But with quality waves only footsteps from our camp, they tend to end up surfing more and working less.
Expect to find the digital nomad sitting somewhere nice and early in the morning, headphones in and a strong coffee on the table in front of them. The look of seriousness on their face could be interpreted as a sign of their heavy workload. There’s a good chance though they’re actually just looking at cat memes or checking what the swell forecast says.
Power outages, spilled drinks and deadlines are the enemies of the Digital Nomad. On the flip side, yoga lessons, a quiet place to work and plenty of power outlets to choose from will satisfy their needs. As will a highspeed internet connection and access to caffeine.
Experience the vibrant spirit of Rapture Surcamps in Portugal!
Join us for an unforgettable adventure and immerse yourself in a diverse surfing community. Whether you’re a seasoned surfer or a novice looking to catch your first wave, Rapture Surcamps welcomes all.
Come, be part of a community that shares a passion for the ocean and the thrill of surfing. Book your surf retreat now and embark on a journey of camaraderie, waves, and unforgettable memories by visiting us at www.rapturecamps.com.
