Four surfers living their dream
THE DREAM TEAM
Gota Dagua Surf School & Surf Camp was founded by four friends that share a common passion. To live a fulfilled life and share the Portugese surf lifestyle with the world. We dream of being a pillar of excellence within the surf industry, not just in Portugal but all around the world. Every year we are focused on improving the quality of our service by adding exceptional people to our team and continuously improving upon our business model. We are dedicated to providing the surf holiday of a lifetime for all our guests, delivering consistently high quality surf coaching and creating unforgettable memories.
The family that we have gathered along our journey is what keeps us motivated and continues to inspire us every day to keep striving for our dreams. We are a surf community spread across all parts of the world and we want to continue expanding with each year that passes.
Meet the team in Office
Ricardo Carvalho
Co-founder
Ricardo was born and raised in the Lisbon area, he started surfing during high school when he was studying Art and Design. At that time surfing was still an up and coming sport, only popular among a few. He spent all his free time surfing the empty line ups and spending many nights at the beach with his friends.
During the following years he travelled the length and breadth of Portugal as a surfing nomad, making unforgettable memories. After this he started giving swimming lessons and then continued to open his first surf school in Costa da Caparica, with just one van and 6 surfboards. He saw an opportunity and opened a store to repair boards and wetsuits.
This is where the story of Gota Dagua began, he is the brain behind the brand, the ‘’ideas’’ guy, the true entrepreneur of the team. If there is one person that can share stories of a true surfers lifestyle it’s Ricardo.
Miguel Pereira
Co-founder
The ocean has been part of Miguel's life for as long as he can remember. He started out on a bodyboard when he was about 5, just messing around in the waves during those Portuguese summers. By 12 he had switched to surfing and that was it, he was hooked.
That first stoke turned into a lifelong search for waves. Over the years he has travelled across the world: Australia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Morocco, Panama, Spain, Madeira, the Azores, South Africa and of course his home breaks here in Portugal. Every one of those places taught him something new about surfing, about the sea and about the kind of easy life and welcoming community that grows up around it.
Before all this Miguel worked as a web designer, but the pull of the ocean was always stronger than the pull of a screen. At 23 he decided to build a life around the thing he loved most, and Gota Dagua was born. His goal has always been simple: to share that same feeling that got him as a kid, the freedom, the salt water and the friends you make along the way, with everyone who comes to stay.
Gonçalo Pereira
Co-founder
Growing up with the beach as his backyard, Gonçalo caught his first wave at age 12 alongside his brother Miguel, and he’s been hooked ever since! What started as non-stop summer sessions quickly turned into a passion for chasing waves, leading him to compete in national surf contests all over Portugal. Driven by a thirst for adventure, he has traveled the globe hunting down perfect warm-water breaks, immersing himself in new cultures, and pushing his limits in the ocean as a total action junkie!Above all, Gonçalo’s greatest passion in life is sharing his love for surfing with others. Today, he serves as our resident surfing guru and Operations Manager, overseeing all our teams across our camps in Portugal, Sri Lanka, and Morocco. Drawing on his deep experience, he ensures we bring on fully certified, top-tier instructors and guarantees that every location delivers an unforgettable experience for our guests.
Pedro Paiva
Co-founder
Pedro met Miguel and Gonçalo at the age of 14 during high school and from that moment on they were inseparable. From then on they started surfing together daily and it soon became much more than just a hobby, it was a new found connection to the ocean.
He has always had a strong talent for creating and building, alongside his degree in Mechanics he plays a vital role in our team as the guy who gets things done.
Pedro has the important job of the maintenance chief for all our surf boards to ensure that they are in top quality for all the students. During the low season Pedro gets to work on the skilled job of repairing our surf boards for the coming season.
Pedro loves the thrill of catching the most challenging waves and always goes in on the bigger swells. He has a calm and understanding approach to life and passes this on to everyone he meets, including his surf students.
João Girbal
Head of Marketing
Born and raised in Lisbon, João has been surfing the waves of Costa da Caparica since he was six years old. Since then, surfing has always been part of his life, shaping the places he travels to and many of the decisions he's made along the way.
Over the years, that passion has taken him to destinations such as Indonesia, Panama, Angola, South Africa, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Morocco, the Azores… Travelling became just as important as surfing, giving him the opportunity to experience different cultures and perspectives while chasing waves around the world.
Before joining Gota Dagua, João built his career across different industries, from technology to fast-moving companies, developing the strategic and commercial mindset he brings to the team today. With a background in Management & Marketing, his goal was always to combine his professional career with the lifestyle he genuinely loves.
Today, as Head of Marketing, João is responsible for shaping the brand's growth and helping tell the story of Gota Dagua to surfers from all over the world. For him, working on a brand that reflects his own passions and values is exactly where he wants to be.
Gustav Sigmundstad
Content Creator
Growing up in Risør, a small coastal town in southern Norway, Gustav first picked up a camera around the age of 12, filming himself and his friends downhill longboarding and skateboarding.
What started as filming for fun eventually led him into short films and fashion photography, before moving into freelance work shooting music videos, artists and concerts.
After studying film for two years, he decided to leave school and pursue freelance work full-time, working across photography, video and content production. At the same time, he wanted to travel more and use his camera to experience new places and cultures.
That eventually led him to surfing. After joining three friends on a surf camp trip and making a vlog about the experience, he sent the video to Gota Dagua. They invited him to Morocco to create a film for the camp, and shortly after, one video turned into a full-time role.
Today, Gustav travels between the camps capturing the real moments, people and experiences that make Gota Dagua what it is. His goal is to create content that makes you feel.
João Maria André
Sales Manager
A retired pro surfer, as he likes to call himself, João is no stranger to the Portuguese surfing scene. Having started surfing at the age of 12, he went on to compete in everything from national to european competitions, always pushing his limits to the maximum. Now, he is committed to bringing that same energy, determination and competitive mindset to the sales department at Gota Dagua. With a background in business and experience living and working in three different cities, João has mainly worked in fast-paced startup environments, where he had the opportunity to constantly adapt to new approaches, learn on the go, and find creative solutions to new challenges. He believes that the same adaptability, resilience and drive that shaped him as a surfer can be brought into his work, helping him build strong relationships, chase ambitious goals and constantly push the bar higher.
reviews
What our customers say
Google Reviews4.9(936)
It has been a really pleasure to be part of gota dagua portugal. We spent lot of amazing and funny times all together and for sure an amazing experience to remember: the people, the staff, the surf lessons, the activitie…It has been a really pleasure to be part of gota dagua portugal. We spent lot of amazing and funny times all together and for sure an amazing experience to remember: the people, the staff, the surf lessons, the activities. Quiet memorable. Thank you a lot for the experience!!!
such a nice experience and Mila was the best volunteer!
Gota d’agua was genuinely one of the best experiences of my life. I originally came for one week, but I loved it so much that I returned just one week later.The atmosphere is amazing, everyone is incredibly kind and we…Gota d’agua was genuinely one of the best experiences of my life. I originally came for one week, but I loved it so much that I returned just one week later.The atmosphere is amazing, everyone is incredibly kind and welcoming, the accommodation is great, and the whole place is beautiful. You immediately feel comfortable and become part of the community.A very special shout out to the volunteers Lily, Mila, and Alfred. They are genuinely such wonderful, fun, and caring people, and they made the whole experience even more special. Their energy made the atmosphere so much better, and they always made everyone feel included and at home.I met amazing people, made unforgettable memories, and enjoyed every moment of my time there. I would recommend Gota d’agua without hesitation, and I really hope I can come back again!
Gota Dagua was really a great experience in and out. What I really liked was the family atmosphere that was created through the volunteers.They worked very hard to make us feel welcome and comfortable as a group. A BIG t…Gota Dagua was really a great experience in and out. What I really liked was the family atmosphere that was created through the volunteers.They worked very hard to make us feel welcome and comfortable as a group. A BIG thank you to Henri🏄🏼♂️, Lilly, Alfred, Mila, Pol, Ben and Gustav with his amazing Fotos. The surf instructors were amazing!! Romi, especially Thiago, Nathan, Yuri! 100% recommended🫶🏽🫶🏽😎🎊🏄♂️🌊🏄🏄♀️
My week at Gota Dagua was an absolute Dream! 😎🤩 I could not have wished for a better week off to experience something different than my everyday life. A GREAT thanks to the Volunteers who helped shape this week into a un…My week at Gota Dagua was an absolute Dream! 😎🤩 I could not have wished for a better week off to experience something different than my everyday life. A GREAT thanks to the Volunteers who helped shape this week into a unforgettable drrrreeeamm:) Thank you to HENRI, Lilly, Pol, Mila, Alfred and Ben! Absolute LEGENDS!!! The Surf instructors were great too (Romi) and I progressed so much in surfing thanks to them🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼I got my best wave here😍
(Translated by Google) Super fun vibe! The instructors guide you really well during a surf lesson. I would want to go back right away! 🏄♀️(Original)
Super leuke vibe! De instructeurs begeleiden je echt goed tijdens ee…(Translated by Google) Super fun vibe! The instructors guide you really well during a surf lesson. I would want to go back right away! 🏄♀️(Original)
Super leuke vibe! De instructeurs begeleiden je echt goed tijdens een surfles. Ik zou meteen terug willen! 🏄♀️
I had the opportunity to spend a week at the surf camp in Costa de Caparica and I had the best time. I stayed in an 8-bed dorm with other girls, which was very clean and organised when I got there. The food provided by t…I had the opportunity to spend a week at the surf camp in Costa de Caparica and I had the best time. I stayed in an 8-bed dorm with other girls, which was very clean and organised when I got there. The food provided by the camp was healthy and varied. The entire staff at the camp, the surf instructors and teamers were very friendly and made sure that everyone felt included. A special shout-out to Davide, who was always in a good mood and brought so much fun and positive energy to the camp! I highly recommend this camp for everyone who wants to meet lovely people, have a chill surf in the morning and a good party at night!
I did my first surf camp here, and it was one of the best decisions ever.The instructors were amazingly fun and professional, and shout out to all the staff and people who made this experience unforgettable. Everything…I did my first surf camp here, and it was one of the best decisions ever.The instructors were amazingly fun and professional, and shout out to all the staff and people who made this experience unforgettable. Everything was really organised, the food and accommodation were excellent.Do yourself a favour and go with Gota Dagua!
This was one of my first ever solo surf camps and it exceeded my expectations. The staff were so friendly and the experience was a memory I’ll never forget.
The Best & my Second Home!! GREAT TEAM around.
Bar staff, kitchen, Volunteers, Surf teacher, Camp Manager - ALL of them are incredible! These people make Gota to a Special and familiar Place - moreover everything is…The Best & my Second Home!! GREAT TEAM around.
Bar staff, kitchen, Volunteers, Surf teacher, Camp Manager - ALL of them are incredible! These people make Gota to a Special and familiar Place - moreover everything is Handeld Professional, as well as friendly and with heart.
