Ricardo Jorge Correia is a pioneer of swimming in the Algarve. His passionate love of water, be it a swimming pool or the ocean, is his livelihood, and water is very clearly his natural habitat. Brimming with ‘nerdy’ knowledge of the ocean and its creatures, he is fascinating to spend time with.
A water baby
Ricardo was born in 1980 in Portimão. He is a full-time swimming teacher at Silves Municipal Pool and the Technical Director of Clube Aquático de Silves. He also offers guided swim tours in the open seas of the Algarve and the Azores.
His father’s favourite pastime was line fishing, and Ricardo would accompany him to their local beach, Praia do Vau. Ricardo was a water baby at a very young age, learning to swim in the vast ocean. His father instilled some strong words of wisdom into the young Ricardo that have remained with him. “You’re in the wilderness and the elements out at sea, son. You have to fend for yourself. To survive, you must know how to deal with whatever comes your way.”
Impacted by these words, Ricardo quickly learnt to read the waves, the weather and the currents. He began to know Praia do Vau like the back of his hand, being aware of the positioning of all the rocks beneath the surface, understanding the currents, the swell and the effects of the wind. He was entirely at home in the water.
Ricardo’s mother worked at the local swimming pool, so he often swam there. Alternating between swimming in the sea and the pool, he quickly became a competent swimmer.
“I began snorkelling at age eight. Using the specialised mask, I was fascinated to see the captivating marine life. Thus, an insatiable appetite for learning about the natural world started,” remembers Ricardo. “Always a curious guy, I was forever asking questions. I wanted to know everything there was to know about the ocean, its creatures and the birds that inhabit it. I am still learning today. I never tire of gaining more knowledge and have an overwhelming desire to share it with others!”
During his teenage years, Ricardo won the open-water regional championships seven times, and then again twice as an adult. At the age of 13, he decided he would become a swimming coach. Incredibly, to this day, he has stayed on track, remaining steadfast in his career.
“Throughout my childhood and teenage years, I witnessed the boom in tourism,” recalls Ricardo. “Growing up in Portimão, an increasingly popular tourist destination, was a sweet and sour experience. Although it was exciting and fun meeting people from other countries, with the lure of parties and nightclubs, it was also quite overwhelming.”
Not tempted by the drinking culture, Ricardo, ever-focused, pursued his swimming training. At the age of 22, he attended university in Rio Maior, where he studied biomechanics and earned a degree in Sports Training. During this time, he also discovered a new passion for snowboarding in the nearby hills of Sierra Nevada, which he continues to pursue as a hobby.
A mentor and motivator
Ricardo returned to Portimão, where he taught for a year before accepting a swimming teaching job in Albufeira. In 2011, Ricardo was in high demand and was offered a job at the municipal pool in Silves, where he has been ever since. “I instruct children from age six up to age 20, which I love! It’s a tough sport for young people, though,” he stipulates. “This type of swimming world is very competitive, and consistent training is imperative.” Nevertheless, the kids always arrive with a smile and leave with an even bigger one.” Ricardo, an affable, natural communicator, liaises with parents, organises events and monitors the abilities of the other coaches.
As the technical manager of Clube Aquático de Silves, Ricardo coaches adult swimmers to win national competitions. A positive motivator and swimming enthusiast, Ricardo is an accomplished trainer who can adapt his teaching methods to suit his students. “Our team has grown from 10 swimmers when I started to 125 members now,” he explains.
Open sea swimming
Ricardo began his own business, Adamastor, one year ago. He provides daily guided swimming tours and holidays in the Algarve and the Azores. “In my coaching work, I must push my students to achieve their best and win. Swimming in the sea, in contrast, is for relaxing and having fun. There is no line to follow and no champion.”
Ricardo is well-acquainted with nine swimming routes along the Algarve coastline. Depending on the route and the swimmers’ level of competency, they vary in time from one-and-a-half hours to three. “I have an innate ability to judge the fitness level and speed of someone from their first strokes,” he points out.
Before a tour, Ricardo checks the waves and the weather. He instructs everyone precisely and ensures they understand the protocol for their well-being. He instils in them the need to listen to his commands. “The sea is an environment that you have no control over. It humbles you,” he says.
Safety comes first
Safety is paramount to Ricardo. He possesses a solid character, a sense of dependability and a strong impression of being a protector. Trained in first aid and fully qualified as a swimming instructor with a vast knowledge of the sea, the novice swimmers are in safe hands.
Although Ricardo enjoys swimming in the sea, he is constantly alert to possible dangers. He carries a mobile phone, and the group swims with a buoy. “In the summer, there is a huge volume of sea traffic to watch out for. Up to 200 boats operate from Portimão alone, not forgetting that there are also kayaks, jet skis, etc. I am always attentive. Alone, I can take up to five people on a tour. When it’s a bigger group, there is another guide in a kayak for added safety.”
Ricardo has competent acquaintances at each beach, if help is needed, and knows all the places where an easy exit can be made. He does not take risks if anyone is in jeopardy; the whole group must get out of the water. “In the Algarve,” he explains, “there are no dangerous sea creatures. Occasionally, we see jellyfish, so I carry an antidote for their sting. I have never seen a shark in over 30 years of sea swimming, but I am used to taking people out to sea who have a fear of them. I have seen small hammerhead sharks in the Azores, but they are terrified of humans. I couldn’t even get close enough to take a photo!”
Learning from the ocean
Ricardo, chatty and articulate, is a font of information, and his tours have become lessons in geology, biology and history. He is passionate about swimming and intends to expand his business in Portugal and the Azores while continuing his coaching career. “Swimming is not only good for our health, it is also therapeutic as we disconnect from everything else in our lives. Many see it as a form of meditation. It clears our minds.”
Living in Silves, Ricardo, a father of two daughters, loves his country and its people. “I am not a city guy,” he laughs. “Two days is enough for me, and I want to return home.”
Ricardo has consistently maintained a sporty lifestyle, competing in triathlons and half-ironmans for several years. “As an advocate for learning new skills, I recently took up carpentry. I also find time to go spearfishing, free diving, snowboarding and mountain biking. My rightful place, though, has always been and always will be in the water.”
Ricardo +351 965 551 899
