Surfing Canadian Waves

Author: Worldweb.com Travel Guide
Rating: ***

The rush of riding breaking waves has captivated people all over the world; however, you wouldn't think there would be much of a surf culture in Canada! Despite the frigid temperatures, if you travel to Tofino, Vancouver Island, you will see many cars sporting surfboards on their roof racks. Tofino has a great atmosphere with many surf shops, beautiful scenery, plus big swells and wave breaks that can be surfed all year round! In order to withstand the elements, surfers require a heavy-duty wetsuit, complete with booties, hoods, and gloves. There are many great spots to surf such as Cox Bay for the advanced and Long beach for the beginners. Thanks to all the surf shops, there are many opportunities to get a surfing lesson; most offer a variety, from different levels, to group lessons, to women only. Although the west coast is great for surfing, all the way across Canada to the east coast we have our dedicated surfers who brave the Atlantic waters! The breaks off the east coast have been described as "rugged and challenging" and have made a large impact in the surfing world. For Canadian surfers living next to an ocean is a privilege, however those that are land-locked have made-due by adopting river surfing! Montreal led the way of this modified sport in 2000 and now the St. Lawrence River and Lachine Rivers are gaining popularity in river surfing. Although many are unaware of it, the surf community in Canada is growing and even though we don't have white sandy beaches and palm trees, our tough surfers withstand freezing waters in winter just to catch that perfect break.

This article was great because it introduces the idea of surfing in Canada, even though it is often assumed that it's not a popular sport due to the climate. Additionally, it gives hotspots to surf, rental shops, surf lessons and beaches with varying wave difficulty. This article did not elaborate on any actual surfing technique or guidelines, but it definitely encouraged me as a reader to try surfing and now consider it as a canadian outdoor activity. I would love to one day try this sport.

"Surfing Canadian Waves." Travel Article:. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Jan. 2014. <http://www.canada.worldweb.com/TravelArticles/OceanActivities//8-147009.html>.