Montreal - June 21, 2011
Montreal is roughly 500 miles away from the Atlantic Ocean. Although you may have a tough time convincing this guy.
"Everyone just lines up and takes their turn," said Chris Dutton, a river surfer.
It may sound strange but Montreal is quickly becoming a mecca for surfing.
"When you think of surfing you think of Hawaii, California, Australia... Definitely not Montreal," Dutton said.
Unlike its ocean cousin, a ride on the river can last several minutes.
"You can surf until you're tired if you want," Dutton said. "The wave, it doesn't stop."
River surfing started in the 1970s in Germany but it's been slow to catch on here. Aside from the St. Lawrence it's really only popular on a handful of rivers in North America. One reason for that-- it's not as easy as it looks. The sport requires strong swimming skills and a lot of upper body strength. And not only do you have to try to stand up on a small board, you have to willingly float downstream into raging whitewater without a life jacket; wearing one makes it all but impossible to paddle fast enough to catch the waves.
My first trip down the river was nothing to write home about. I survived-- but that's about all I did.
"I'll be honest; it's not the worst I've seen, but not the best I've seen," Dutton said. "You're not an Olympic swimmer. It shows."
My knowledgeable instructor then encouraged me to swing into the wave on a rope, but again, disaster. And that's why I wasn't too optimistic about the next stop on our surfing tour. A wave five times bigger just 15 minutes down the road near downtown Montreal.
"For river surfing it's probably one of the best waves around," Dutton noted.
This summer playground is relatively safe. There are huge waves but very few rocks hiding underneath.
"It's getting more and more popular every year. Just today even there's a lot of people lining up for the wave," said Jimmy Carey, a river surfer.
And here surfing has become a spectator sport.
"You have the sound, so the sound is pretty impressive too," said Guillaume Bastien, a spectator. "But I have to get over that because the fun looks to be worth the shot."
"When you get in it, water is going to be going all around you. You'll take one or two paddles and maybe the water will knock you off the board," Dutton said.
I consider my first go on this massive wave a success. I didn't come close to surfing, but I did stay on the board. One small victory in a sport that takes lots of time to master. And enough success to leave me wanting to return for more.
There are shops in Montreal that rent surf boards. And there's at least one company in town that even teaches people how to river surf.
The link below is the most comprehensive website on the internet about the sport:
http://surfmtl.com/
Montreal-based Imagine Surfboard also offers lessons for beginners wanting to try the sport. For more information including prices, check out the link below:
http://www.imaginesurfboards.com/eng/surfschool.html
Keagan Harsha - WCAX News
