Some Brazilian Dude

Name: Antonio Azambuja

Lives: Bahia, Brazil

Surfing: Thomas Street, Pacific Beach

For ten years, Antonio Azambuja has traveled from Brazil to San Diego each winter to surf. “I like the people of San Diego very much. You are all very warm, very nice people.” This year’s trip got a little rained out, but he had a few good sessions on his final days. “The past two days, it has not been good, but today we have been from North La Jolla to here now. Good surfing.”

Antonio has trekked extensively for surf vacations — from Costa Rica to Hawaii to Puerto Rico — but his favorite spot is… “Peru. Definitely. It is a place called Punta Hermosa. It is south of Lima.” He cites warm water, large waves, and friendly people as the attractions of Punta Hermosa.

“I am 42 now. I have surfed since I was 5,” Antonio says. In his 37 years of surfing and all of his trips, he says his worst wipeout was ten years ago in Brazil. “I broke my shoulder. It was a big wave and, well, I dropped down and it was an accident.”

To surfers who are considering a vacation to Brazil, Antonio warns of one potential danger.

“Every year it is very common to see jellyfish. I have not been stung, but people in my area, on my beach, I know they have been stung.” His favorite animal encounter was in Northern California, where, he says, “We saw marine lions. How do you say? Sea lions!”