Finding a sense of belonging when the whole world is your home

With a German heritage, your professional surfing career is mostly impressive, how old were you when you started travelling for surfing? 

I grew up on the south coast of Portugal right in front of the ocean so it was normal for me to be in the water with waves. I started bodyboarding when I was five, and at the age of eight, I got my first shortboard for Christmas.

What’s the best part of having the world as your playground? 

Probably seeing and experiencing so many different cultures -  you can learn so much if you are open to it!  Also with time I learnt to turn the travelling down a bit and let others have their turn hehe 

How come you chose Ericeira as your base? 

Ericeira is one of the unique places in the world where you find everything you need as a surfer. Almost everything is within walking distance, and you find amazing spots with such high-quality waves. 

As you know, we love when you visit our camps. Can you be completely honest and tell us what it's like for you to stay at Lapoint’s camps? 

To be honest, I always feel like I'm having a little holiday there even though I mostly come for work. It lets me disconnect from everything, enjoy amazing food, and go surfing. The downside is probably that in between, people have to come to get me during my midday naps cause I get way too comfortable.

This film touches upon the concern for Mother Earth and how our actions impact nature. Are climate change and carbon footprints something that worries you, and if so, how do you adapt to it? 

I think there is a way where we can all work together with little steps, everyone in their way. Like that we motivate more people to join in and not point fingers at each other about things that we do wrong. A positive way forward.

The video shows a passion and love for nature. I believe that everyone who has ever caught a wave on a surfboard can relate to the feeling of “simplicity in its most complex form”. Is this your drive or how would you describe your passion for surfing? 

I think my passion for surfing changes constantly. It has so many sides to it,  just like the uniqueness of every wave is endless and the mathematical structure of a wave has infinite possibilities all played out in the most beautiful playgrounds of nature. I guess it’s what makes it so addictive, but also has humbling, educational and many more effects on me.

And to the last question; when you look 5 or maybe even 10 years ahead in time, what do you see as your personal and professional goals? 

I don't know, I feel like I barely make it through a year at the moment hehe. Just would like to keep doing positive and creative stuff and be happy :)

Thanks so much for your time Marlon, we are looking forward to following your journey and even more to the next time we meet! 

For more inspiration on Instagram 

Marlon Lipke

Lapoint Camps

Million Thanks to the very talented filmmakers @Lukas_pousset and @michiwpflr from @bluemoonthecrew 

Do you want to know more about our surf camp in Ericeira? Click here.

Are you curious about how we work with Sustainability? Be inspired here.