It’s a typical mild English summer’s day. Bright enough that soft light is glowing through my window, but not quite warm enough for me to be able to take my jumper off… classic July.

A smiling Jules hops on the call. By contrast, the Portuguese sun has been beating down on her because her tan is putting mine to shame and her hair is gleaming with those highlights you’re only blessed with by sunlight.

Jules is a content creator based in Portugal who has started hosting women’s surf retreats in the Algarve called Nukii Retreats.

These retreats take place in a beautiful villa she handpicked, and every aspect of the retreat is taken care of – from the meals to the daily activities.

Amaia: How are you doing? What has your day looked like today?

Jules: I’m good! I just had a full day of work, nothing special. I’m gonna hop to the beach after this meeting though because it’s super hot. The summer has finally hit us so I’m probably gonna go for a swim or something.

Amaia: Tell me a bit about your background and how you got into surfing.

Jules: So my name is Julia but I’m known as Jules in the social media world. It’s my nickname and it kind of stuck. I started with social media about eight years ago. I graduated from high school and I knew I was going to do a gap year because I loved to travel and didn’t know what I wanted to study, so going straight to university was out of the question. During that gap year, my sister pushed me to share my travels and experiences on social media.

Then I came to Portugal during COVID because I needed sun and I had always loved the ocean. That was when I discovered surfing. I’ve been hooked ever since! Now all my travels are based around surfing, I’m always looking for new places to surf. So my brand has sort of transformed into this, from sharing travels to sharing my surf adventure.

Amaia: So that’s where you really found your niche?

Jules: Yeah, so it’s also where I started my brand of surf retreats, Nukii. I’m so glad I started because I really think I’ve found my passion and my niche. Without sounding too cringy… I’d say it’s almost like my calling!

Amaia: What inspired you to start Nukii?

Jules: From the moment I started surfing, I felt I was missing that female space. In general, it’s a very male-dominated sport, so finding girls to surf with wasn’t that easy. I wanted to combine my love of travel with surfing and create a community because I love meeting new people. Meeting people from all walks of life that you might not normally come across in your everyday routine. So yeah, I wanted to create a space for females where we can really explore and flourish and be around like-minded women.

I think, especially when you’re learning a new skill, it’s nice to be in a female space. I don’t want to take away from the men, it’s not like that, it’s just that there’s a different energy when you’re just around women. You learn differently and you almost have a different level of comfort. That’s what I found with these retreats; everyone gets so comfortable around each other so quickly.

Amaia: Who did you create Nukii for?

Jules: Girls like me, honestly. It was about what I looked for when I went on trips. Girls who like being outdoors, and trying new things, are interested in surfing but have maybe never tried it. It’s for all skill levels – we have girls who have never stood on a board before and intermediate girls who want to improve their surfing.

Amaia: And why Portugal?

Jules: I’ve been based in Portugal for three years now. It holds a very special place in my heart, especially the Algarve. It has some of the most beautiful natural parks and reserves. The waves are consistent which is very important for surfing. It’s one of my favourite places in the world. I wanted it to be somewhere I love and also somewhere I knew well so I could show the girls my favourite spots.

Amaia: What makes Nukii different to other surf retreats out there?

Jules: Nukii is about building a community. So as much as it’s about surfing, the main focus of it is really to create a community of women who come together and stay together outside of the retreat. Even afterwards, we all stay in contact. We’re even talking about having a reunion! We genuinely leave Nukii as friends so it’s nice to see that community and those friendships build. It’s a special week, filled with adventure and meeting new people. It goes so far beyond a normal surf retreat.

Amaia: How many people do you usually have on the retreat?

Jules: Our minimum is six and at maximum capacity we have 10. So it depends on each retreat. It’s always one tight-knit group. Everyone comes together and there are none of those little formations that occur in bigger groups. It’s personal enough that you get to know each other well during that week.

Amaia: There’s a big focus on spiritual practices like breathwork, meditation and yoga. Is this something you’ve practiced for a while? How do they fit in with surfing?

Jules: Well, I wanted to make it more than just a retreat which is why I brought in things like the art workshop. It’s really special when you’re in a female circle and you get creative, it unfolds this special energy. The programme is thought through in this way, so we start with an afternoon of playing games and getting to know each other.

Then throughout the week, I introduce things like yoga and Pilates to help everyone find their centre again. One of the most special practices we have is breathwork. It’s great to see how surfing and breathwork tie together. It’s so closely related, a lot of these girls have never surfed before and it can be quite scary to start your surfing journey. So we unleash and face that fear through breathwork.

Amaia: That’s really nice. Creativity definitely plays a big part in that feminine energy you mentioned and when you have several people in a room all experiencing the exact same thing, something really special must happen.

Jules: Yes, exactly. It’s so great to see. I always say it’s like a switch that happens midweek. A complete shift. Everyone’s completely themselves, there’s nowhere to hide, and everyone’s just out there, flourishing.

Amaia: What would you say you’ve learnt since starting Nukii?

Jules: So many things! I learned from all these different girls who came to my retreat, whom I wouldn’t otherwise have met. At the last retreat there was a girl from Iceland, I never really knew anything about Iceland but she taught me so much about Icelandic Traditions! And I learnt a lot about myself, how much I truly love to be around others and meet new people. I always knew it, but Nukii cemented it for me.

Amaia: What have been some of your favourite moments since starting Nukii?

Jules: At the end of every retreat, we go over the highs and lows of the week and every time we go over the lows it’s almost impossible to think of one. People come up with things like, “I wish I had gotten that one wave…”.

Amaia: Do you have any tips for women who are keen to get into surfing but are nervous?

Jules: Yes, come to my retreats! *laughter* No, but, I think, I find a friend, or reach out to someone local on social media. It’s all about finding a surf buddy to get into surfing with because doing it by yourself can be so daunting. If you do it with someone else, you can go through the emotions together. So that’s my biggest advice: find a community. Experience it together.

Also, you don’t have to be good at something to enjoy it. At Nukii, everyone is welcome, at every level. By no means am I a great surfer at all, I’m not ashamed to admit it. When you start in your late 20s or 30s, you don’t have to accelerate in it immediately. That’s not what it’s about.

Through her love of surfing and connecting with others, Jules has created a welcoming community for girls who don’t want to surf alone. For anyone wanting to try something new, Nukii Co offers a safe space. You can check it out via the links below.

Find Nukii on Instagram: @nukiico

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Amaia Wilson Frade is a copywriter and translator from Southampton, England. A language fanatic who speaks Spanish, French and Italian and loves writing for purpose-driven brands. Her happy place is tucked away in her campervan in the countryside or by the sea, meditating and matching playlists to whatever she's reading as she waits for summer to roll back around.

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