Today my post is about a special place for me.
Many times with our routine we don't value the little things around us or in the place where we grew up.
Well, today when I write I'm going to bring a little of myself and my roots.
I grew up in a fishing village in Portugal. More precisely Vila Chã, a small village belonging to the port of Portugal, when I was still young I came to live in a house in another nearby village called Lavra.
Staying in both places because my grandparents on my mother's side still live in the same place.
My grandfather had been fishing since he was a child and finally started fishing for sport. When he started doing sport fishing, it was also when I started going with him early in the morning to the rocks with a rod, other times I caught octopus in the holes, and I also started going with an uncle at night to fish for crabs and shrimps.
The journey today is my homeland, a land that saw me grow and made me develop everything I know how to do to this day.
Angeiras operates in 2 arts agriculture and fishing, today the theme will be fishing.
Angeiras is a place where artisanal fishing is still common despite the boats being equipped with “sophistications such as GPS and sonars”. With time and the growth of the sea, fishermen's houses or “boat houses”, as many call them, could be devoured by the sea. The houses are very caricatured as they have colorful tones and are all different, thus creating a picturesque view of the sea.
Recently, a small ocean wall was built to combat sea agitation and facilitate access for fishermen, both when entering and leaving the sea.
Every morning boats arrive from a night's work in the Atlantic Ocean, bringing fresh fish to people's homes and providing food for the families of those whose daily work is at sea.
This small breakwater is only around 450 meters long, which is what is necessary for the activity.
In more extreme cases of maritime unrest, they head to the port of Matosinhos, where all the large fishing vessels such as trawlers (boats where sardines are fished) are located.
After the construction of this breakwater, it became almost a place of interest for sport fishermen, where the rods stretch out over the sea throughout the day.
For some brave people in summer, they dare to go to the small lighthouse on the bridge.
That, despite instructions not to pass in the middle of summer, there is no great risk as the calm sea does not exceed this great wall
Despite being a small port, the soul of this place is huge, but a “disorganized” place where everything has its rightful place.
We can see the boats, fishing holes, nets, ropes and anchors fighting against the rust that the sea saltpeter demands of them.
There are also many signal flags, where fishermen identify the exact places where they left their traps on the previous day of work.
You're wrong if you think that those hard-working looks and wrinkles seem unfriendly to you. The fishermen don't mind seeing tourists walking around or even asking questions about their work, they are super friendly and will respond with as much respect as possible, explaining their daily lives in detail. Some fishermen and boats are already in the fourth generation of “family” that says “ESTEVES” besides the name of the boat it is the name of the family, I am with me in elementary school and from an early age he started telling his teachers that he hated school and What he wanted was to work with his father fishing. In reality, I lost some contact and I don't even know for sure if he managed to complete the 12th year, he probably did it on a professional course. Today Esteves also has a boat separate from his father and also harvests what the sea can give him.
Esteves, is the yellow vessel, with the Portuguese flag on the bow.
I, on the other hand, accompanied my grandfather several times fishing for “conger eel” at Christmas time. Typical dish served with octopus.
Fishing has always been something I liked but never as a professional activity, just for sport.
I also didn't like my grandfather, who was already a certain age, near the beach.
(at the moment my grandfather is no longer in a physical condition for sport fishing, and we have memories left, which we remember a few times on the sofa at his house)
Well, that's all for today, thanks for reading this journey through my homeland and a little bit of my life
All photos are my own, taken with a Canon 2000D 18/135 lens Thanks for reading I hope to see you soon.