12 Days of Burners - In Canada

After stopping in Horsham for the night, we made the short journey over to Gatwick airport in the morning, ready to check in and fly to Canada. With 10 boats, we gave the airport staff quite a shock as we approached check in. Then, we found out our plane was delayed – for 6 hours! So the obvious thing to do was head to duty free and use the complimentary food vouchers.

Finally we boarded the plane around 4pm, and begun the 7 hour flight to Montreal, Quebec.

Once in Canada and after collecting all our bags, we then headed to a hotel by shuttling all our kit in just two cars as it was too late to check into the camp site. Montreal was 30⁰C at 7pm and the humidity made it feel so much hotter! 

Day 1

On the first day of Burners, we arrived in Montreal, surfing Habitat.

After a lie in, true American size breakfast, and packing the trucks, we headed to the KOA camp site to check in. On the side of the highway, we even saw a Marmot. With tents pitched at the camp site, it was time to for a quick swim to cool down. 

Then we headed through down town Montreal and into the city centre. From a first glance, the city was pretty cool with a mix of traditional building and more modern sky scrapers. 


Then it was time to go kayaking on the St Lawrence River which is over a mile wide in places and travels very fast for a river of that width. Parking the trucks under the highway, we then raced upstream to catch the first look at Habitat (which is overlooked by the iconic building Habitat 67). Already occupied by surfers, we were all keen to get on! 

The wave was awesome! 




About 200m from the bank, begun the wave with a big foam pile and great shoulder on surfer’s left – I tried blunts and a back blunts with varying success. As it was so busy, I only had three rides but it was great just to be on the water almost two days after leaving home. The scenery was also incredible: the expanse of cobalt blue water, with a backdrop of Montreal skyline at dusk, a full moon just appearing. 

As the light was beginning to fade, we took a trip to MEC warehouse to buy camp essentials before heading on a long search for food – who knew that most places shut at 9pm!



Comments

  1. Looks like your trip got of to a great start.... once you got to Canada! Good luck and keep us all posted with your progress!

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