A bitter cold morning greeted us in the small coastal village of Péniche. We bundled up in our warmest clothes to go join our two old friends, Pedro and Joao, whom we had arranged to meet at the marina at sunrise. We were about to live our first offshore fishing experience in a spectacular scenery: the natural reserve of the Berlengas Islands. Fishing in that area requires a special fishing permit, that only a few fishermen own. How lucky are we that our friend Pedro is one of them?
As the sun was rising, we got to meet the crew of four fishermen. We soon set out, our ship riding the wild troughs between swells. Our gusty laughs were actually hiding a little anxiety, as they were fainting away in the swell of the ocean that was shaking our craft a bit too strongly for my liking.
A few minutes later, we noticed the long neck of a lighthouse emerging in the distance, at the top of an Island surrounded by cliffs. When we got closer, we realized that we were surrounded by others formations of steep rocks cutting the sky like hooks, engulfing the backwash of the sea, waves by waves.
It is in that environment, firstly appearing as hostile, that captain Pedro cast a line in the ocean. We had picked up little crabs not long after our departure, that he was now threading on his line. Minutes went by and our silence turn the surrounding agitation into a peaceful harmony. While I was falling asleep to the soothing rhythm of the water, Pedro took hold of the net and shook it below the surface. He took a plump silver fish out, placed it quietly on the floor and said “Hello miss Sea Bream”.
We then got off the craft for a brief moment to go visit the few fishermen’s houses, who are sharing the island with the biologists. Fishermen and biologists are the only inhabitants authorized to live on this protected piece of land.
It was then my turn to cast the line in the water, which I tried to do without losing my balance or falling overboard. Despite a light feeling of seasickness, the experience was a success as I managed to pull few sargo vermelho, sea breams, and sea basses out of the sea!
The satisfaction related to this catch strongly increased when we got back to Péniche. Pedro and his crew cooked us a grand meal in the local where they stock their equipment: the traditional fisherman’s macaroni, also known as “massada de peixe”, cooked in a tomato sauce with the fishes freshly caught (recipe available here!)
I was deeply touched by this friendly moment, that was a perfect reflection of the rest of the day. I realized at that moment that the quality of the products they export to the other side of the Atlantic really comes from the passion of the local people for their land and their occupation. Can we go back soon?