Sufing Montreal

**gunnar93** · 07-17-2007, 09:09 AM

I had a few questions about this and hopefully someone could help me out. I saw some videos and it looks sick. What do you do when you fall off the wave? and is it extremely hard to get back to the shore? can you longboard? have you ever been hit with anything? and what else do you need besides a board? like wetsuit thickness and other things like that. thats it, thanks a lot for you help.

**brice618** · 07-17-2007, 09:46 AM

I haven't done it, but seen it done a few times. Basically if you fall and don't get yourself into an eddy really quickly you're f'ed. Often times they will have to send a kayaker out to get you or you'll be taking a lonnnnnng trip down the St. Lawrence. I'd say stay on the rapid closest to the shore and fall towards the shore if possible and start swimming immediately. I don't know about the long board.

**gunnar93** · 07-17-2007, 09:53 AM

sounds pretty intense. have people been serioulsy hurt doing this?

**brice618** · 07-17-2007, 10:50 AM

I don't think its really all that dangerous (all things considered) other than getting swept into a river thats freaking huge and moves quickly. There is probably some danger of hitting rocks, but I doubt very much the water is fairly deep. I don't know about injuries.

**anthill** · 07-28-2007, 09:29 PM

I would stick to kayaks so you have at least enough power to hold position in the river. If you have to swim after your longboard you'll end up on the far side of town.

**yemntftb** · 08-12-2007, 06:52 PM

If the river is big, you better be ready to swim. Bring a lifejacket.

**Harv** · 08-14-2007, 03:01 PM

There are a couple of spots in Montreal. The Lachine Rapids have a couple of huge standing waves, Big Joe and Little Joe. I have only ever seen surfers on Little Joe.

To say the St. Lawrence is a big river is like saying that Lake Michigan is a big pond. The St. Lawrence is fucking huge. It is draining the Great Lakes. Low flow is something on the order of 250,000 cubic feet per second.

The Lachine Rapids are located almost a mile off the shore and are accessed from a deck that was anchored to the bedrock outcropping that forms the rapids. I have seen surfers out there accessing it off of jet skis and boats. It is a big swim. In a kayak it takes about a half an hour to get back up to the deck after you wash off. Getting back to your car after a session is also a bitch. In a kayak you are ferrying for a solid 30 minutes and you still end up well below where you parked. Rocks are not an issue. If you are deep enough to find a rock you have other problems.

Lachine is an absolutely epic spot and one of my favorite places on earth.

There is another wave called Habitat 67 which is right next to the apartments of the same name. That wave is way more manageable. Closer to shore, easier swim, etc.

Corran Addison (former pro kayaker, turned river surfer promoter) has a surf shop in Montreal. The link is below. That is you best source of local information.

http://www.2imagine.net/shop/