ABOUT US
Europe’s first
dedicated
BODYSURF SCHOOL
A place where the ocean teaches,
and we just guide you through it.
OUR STORY
How it started
The Bodysurf School began in Costa da Caparica in 2017, with a simple idea: bodysurfing is the purest way to connect with the ocean, and that connection is something everyone should be able to feel.
Henrique grew up in the water — surfing since he was nine, competing through his teens, and eventually finding his way to bodysurf as the form of wave-riding that felt most honest. Maartje arrived from the Netherlands, fell in love with the ocean, and brought the structure that turned a passion into a school.
What started as a few weekend sessions at Praia da Sereia is now a small, dedicated team teaching beginners, families, advanced surfers, and groups of children — every week, almost every wave.
OUR APPROACH
How we teach
We don’t treat bodysurfing as a sport you check off a list. We treat it as a way of being in the ocean — playful, attentive, safer over time.
Three principles guide every lesson:
Read the ocean before riding it.
Before you catch your first wave with us, you’ll learn how waves form, where currents move, and how to position yourself. The ocean isn’t an obstacle — it’s the teacher.
Lose the fear, keep the respect.
Most people who come to us aren’t afraid of the water — they’re afraid of looking foolish in it. We laugh at wipeouts. We share them. By the end of your first session, you’ll have wiped out, surfaced laughing, and gone back for more.
Everyone in the water belongs there.
Three-year-olds, sixty-year-olds, total beginners, experienced surfers wanting to refine technique — we adapt to who’s in front of us, not the other way around.
OUR team
The people who’ll be in the water with you
Henrique Madeira
FOUNDER & MAIN COACH
All-round surfer who started his journey on the waves when he was 9 years old. He studied sport science at FMH (Faculdade de Motricidade Humana) and has been giving surf and bodysurf lessons for over 7 years. National bodysurf championship finalist.
Maartje Koning
FOUNDER & MANAGER
Dutch entrepreneur with a passion for yoga and climbing, and more recently a love for surf sports — especially bodysurf. Maartje keeps the school running smoothly on land so the rest of us can focus on the ocean.
Joana Gorgueira
COACH
Joana has been surfing since she was 15 and a surf coach for over 10 years. Outside the water, she is a Project Manager at an Association. She believes that bodysurfing is the purest way to teach people their relationship with the ocean.
António Coutinho
COACH
António started surfing at the age of 10 in Costa da Caparica. At 14, Henrique introduced him to bodysurf — and it became his new passion. He recently joined the team as a coach.
CREDENTIALS
Who you’re learning with
Henrique combines competition experience, formal certifications, and academic training in sport science.
National Bodysurf Competitor
2025 National Vice-Champion. 2024 3rd place at the National Championship. Dozens of podium finishes across stages of the national circuit.
Officially Certified
Certified school by the Portuguese Surf Federation and Turismo de Portugal. Basic Life Support certified — your safety is built into every lesson.
Trained to Teach
IPDJ Level II Sports Coach certification with a Degree in Sport Sciences specialised in surf and bodysurf. Henrique knows how to break down what makes a good wave, and how to teach it to anyone.
Ready to ride your first wave?
Come meet us at Praia da Sereia.
No experience needed — just bring yourself. We handle the rest.