Surf’s Up in Canada

Think of a surfing holiday, and a few stereotypes will rear their heads. Palm trees, beach bums, and clear warm waters: all things that you’re unlikely to associate with Canada. But although Canada is more famous for it’s mountain sports than water sports, it actually boasts some amazing destinations for the surfer who wants a little more: as long as they have the guts to dive right in, no matter how chilly the water is.

Tofino

If you’re still not sure about surfing in Canada, start in the town that’s been lauded as“Canada’s Byron Bay”. Immensely popular with surfers, the Vancouver Island beach is surrounded by surf shops and surf schools. If you’re just getting started with cold water surfing this would be an ideal holiday location. Tofino is slowly gaining a strong reputation within the global surf community, with the O’Neill cold water surf competition taking place here since 2009; if you’re in the area in October, it’s certainly worth watching the pros do their thing.

Nova Scotia

On Canada’s East Coast there are plenty of great surf locations, but none more so than Nova Scotia: boasting at least six idyllic beaches with perfect surf conditions. From South to North there’s White Point Beach, Igonish Beach, Broad Cove, Hirtles Beach, Lawrencetown, Cow Bay and Parrsboro. White Point Beach and Igonish are good locations for beginners due to the small swells.

Lawrencetown is quite hard to miss and fits the surf stereotype image of white sandy beaches and clear waters well; if it wasn’t for the freezing weather. If you choose to surf at Cow Bay, beware of the hazardous rocks in the water. Remember the East Coast gets its best waves at night, so you may encounter some other insomniac swimmers if you head down to the coast  after sunset.

Port Renfrew

For winter surfing, the rugged coastline near Port Renfrew on Canada’s West Coast is ideal; with around eight breaks all within half an hour of each other. There are plenty of camping grounds near the coast, or you could stay in the quaint logging town of Port Renfrew itself. Word of warning: try to stick near other surfers, or head out in a group: during the winter it’s not unusual for storms to spring up and although it can create brilliant waves, it can also turn dangerous really quick. 

Lake Superior

Only the brave need apply to surf the North Shore of the Great Lake. Surrounded by ice and snow, the shore provides a couple of days each month where conditions are perfect with waves reaching up to nine or ten meters. Fresh water surfing is a fairly new sport and has started growing in popularity over the past few years, as coastlines attract far too many tourists. It can be hard to predict when Lake Superior will have a good surf day, but be prepared for the unexpected: it’s not unusual to see wetsuited figures bobbing around in the middle of a Blizzard, if the waves are right.

Habitat 67

If you’re tired of surfing coastal regions, and if the Great Lakes aren’t doing anything for you, try your hand at river surfing. The best place to start is Habitat 67. Located in Montreal, this standing wave reaches heights of up to two meters and is great for anyone who wants to get acquainted with a surfboard (you can ride the wave for up to 20 minutes to half an hour, as long as nobody else is waiting for their turn). Underwater boulders and fast moving river rapids are the cause of this wave, and the others further upstream: be careful not to fall off your board.

So it might not be the warm, sunny surfer’s paradise of Australia or California: but think about the respect you’ll gain from your surfing cronies when they discover that you’ve been hanging ten in some of the most extreme conditions in the world. Just don’t forget the Vaseline. 

Gareth

My name is Gareth Leonard, a Marketing Director turned World Traveler with a passion for slow, meaningful travel. I have been traveling the world full-time for the past 9+ years and document it all on Instagram and YouTube. Come join me!