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RIDE THE WAVES WITHOUT THE OCEAN

RIVER SURFING AN UNUSUAL THRILL

Surfing "The Kan." Photos by writer.

First published in The Sheaf student Newspaper
09 April 2009
Pg A8

Ah, surfing. The sun on your face, the rush of excitement and the water lapping at your ankles.

'Tis a dream few Canadians get to experience locally, for lack of available waves. The other downfall to surfing that most spoiled, lift-riding Canadian snowboarders may find - aside from sunburn or threat of sand in every orifice - comes down to a simple concept of time and effort vs. reward. Snowboarders and their lift-riding brethren become accustomed to an equation of time spent getting up the hill roughly equaling time spent going down, even when factoring in a few stops here and there to chill out. With surfing, a wave that's over in mere seconds requires plodding through many of its predecessors and extended waiting for the next onslaught. Perhaps this is a lesson in patience and reward: exemplified by the backcountry skier who hikes all day to the top for a brief but intensely rewarding ride down through the deep untouched powder of nature's bounty. 

"But I seek not patience!" you may tout. "It is FUN that I seek!"

Imagine then, a continuous crest to ride, that would long surpass even an expert surfer's length of ride! Imagine a short drive to your favourite surf spot, rather than a vacation requiring your life savings plus visa's kind credit! This, my friends, is river surfing.

The main difference with this kind of surfing is that it requires no wave, but rather a rapid. Suitably sized contenders can be found throughout Canada's many rivers, including "The Kan" Kananaskis river in Alberta.

This is where I first discovered the sport, in all its cutting edge glory. I was there on a kayaking expedition, but had opted out of that morning’s paddle. My tent mates and I were hung-over from the previous night’s campfire shenanigans and flaming sambuca shots – an initiation for new paddlers. Instead we hiked along the top of the canyon to view of our more up-and-at-em friends. It was then that we beheld the strange and mystical sight: surfers... On the river.

I convinced Ben Murphy (their apparent leader) to let me try in exchange for money or beer. He gladly accepted, at no charge, since his goal as member and co-founder of the Alberta River Surfer’s Association is to spread the joyous word of river surfing to the world. River surfing has been established in many places across the globe, but has maintained a veiled secrecy due to its infancy. The Alberta chapter was only formed in 2006, by just four core riders.

Equipment includes a lighter than normal, wide foam core board, and a sexy array of neoprene wet-suit goodies, including booties and mitts for low temperatures. The more hardcore R.S. enthusiasts go year round, even in the bitter cold of January. This is made possible by the fluidity of the rushing water preventing ice lock-up. Now that is dedication, or in river surfer tongue: stoke.

The method consists of standing in an eddy, where an upstream obstacle creates a pool of standing water. You position the board in the current outside of the eddy, upstream of the rapid, then jump on the board, with your body flat, and allow the rapid to suck you in. This is the equivalent of catching the wave. From here, standing up is the same as with ocean surfing, but ten times harder, so they say.

In two days I was unable to get farther than pushing my torso up off my board before being hurled through the rapid and whisked away down the river, despite my first-try success at standing on a wave. This whisking part can be tricky, and you need to focus all your energy and strength into swimming for shore as fast as possible. The longer it takes, the higher your chances are of being scraped across rocks and debris, potentially losing your ability to have children - a lesson I learned the hard way when my hip was almost torn off.

Despite its initial difficulty level, the sport has spread like a fever throughout lower Alberta and ARSA is now up to 256 members. Not limited to Alberta, River Surfing is possible wherever there is a significant enough rapid. Its versatility allows for countless opportunities limited only by the fact that due to inherent dangers, a buddy is required.

Soon Saskatonians won’t have to go far to try river surfing, if development of the community (white) water park at the Weir commences as planned. The project, proposed and approved by city council in 2006, aims to turn the deadly weir into a fun water playground.

The river surfing community is a loving, welcoming one and I will leave off with some wise words from ARSA that adhere to this communal spirit: “Your quality as a person far outweighs your ability as a surfer. Welcome those who share your waves; they see something in life just as you do.”

-S