That is about all I know about surfing in Sao Tomé as I wake up the first morning in our rental house, on a widescreen terrace perched over the ocean. I am surprised to see under my feet a very pretty right hander wrapping into a little bay, next to the village. We rarely find random waves, usually we work hard to search for them. This is a wave that boards our boat unexpectedly and we don’t take it for granted. To get into the water, I walk via a steep trail to a little beach on the right of our house. On my way, I run into a woman carrying a tray on her head while I carry my board on mine. She says hi without really paying attention to me. After half an hour alone in the water, Lou and Carine show up. Two young local surfers paddle towards the peak at the same time. I notice that they don’t ride wood surfboards, but brand new shortboards. They introduce themselves with a big smile: first Gégé then Zitu. Then they go towards Carine and Lou to welcome them. We start a conversation that will last the whole session, suddenly and regularly interrupted each time one of us catches a wave, to be resumed, where it was left, at the peak.
