Marzena
Rock and Reel co-Founder
Marzena spent her early childhood on a farm, caring for dogs, cats, chickens, pigs, and cows. She loved being outdoors and close to animals. At times, she even felt a bit too familiar, sharing meals with the pigs from their food bowl. This made her feel profoundly connected to nature.
In her early twenties, Marzena’s first encounter with marine life opened up a whole new, magical world for her. She explored reefs through snorkeling and closely observing sea creatures. At times, perhaps too close for comfort, when a triggerfish, feeling threatened, swam aggressively towards her, pushing her away. It later became clear that the triggerfish was guarding her eggs.”
However, the most transformative experience in her life came from traveling along the coasts of Australia. It was there that she learned fishing and foraging directly from the Aussies themselves. Once again, she felt a strong bond with nature, living off the sea, camping in the wild, waking up with the sunrise, and going to sleep after sunset. It felt like the most authentic way of life to her.
Yet, she needed to come back and finish her teacher degree. Back in Germany she was working as a teacher, but not for too long, because the freedom was calling her again and she couldn’t resist. This time it was Canada. One year she has been traveling along the West Coast of Canada reaching Alaska, fishing for Salmon and foraging for crabs. She vividly recalls her first taste of wild Pacific salmon in Canada and couldn’t believe the remarkable difference in flavor compared to Atlantic salmon. It was so smooth and sweet, it made her mouth water.
Marzena also had the privilege of meeting native Canadians who generously offered her canned smoked salmon. This is a traditional method of preserving salmon for winter, and they even shared the recipe with Marzena. It was an incredibly appreciative experience that left her feeling profoundly grateful and amazed by the taste.
She also took the initiative to assist local fishermen in handling salmon and sea cucumbers, embracing the challenge and gaining valuable experience in managing both. She recalls that she couldn’t feel her hands handling the salmon because it was so cold. But also this adventure needed to come to an end.
Fortunately, Marzena found love and a new home on the West Coast of Algarve! Here, she enjoys the wild nature with beach and tide pool explorations, seafood foraging, fishing, cooking her wild catch, with friends. She always feels grateful and fulfilled when sharing her knowledge and passion for the beauty of nature. This brought here to found together with Cristian, Rock&Reel.