You may have heard the name of Hugo Vau mentioned here and there, but you probably couldn’t put a face to the name. That’s because any photo you’ve ever seen of Hugo, one of Portugal’s most committed big wave chargers, consists of him riding a wave bigger than your house. Well, this is his face and his story.

A regular at Nazaré, Hugo’s life revolves around the ocean. He fishes for work and for fun, he surfs the aforementioned skyscrapers. It’s a strange and dangerous infatuation, but Hugo explains just what it is that lures him further towards the edge.