Surfin’ QBC
Montreal’s Permanent Wave

Ah, Canada. The land of maple syrup, poutine and Bryan Adams.

And, of course, the perfect wave.

Say hello to Imagine Surf Shop, a Canadian outfit eager to introduce you to one of the biggest standing waves in the world, currently awaiting your arrival in Montreal.

If you’re scratching your head over the “standing wave” part, let us explain: it’s basically a wave that never breaks, making for a permanent hill made of water.

To tackle it, you’ll want to team up with a pro surfer named Corran Addison, who’s been riding these waters for almost a decade, and will rent you a specially designed board he’s made just for the occasion.

He’ll start you off on the Lachine Rapids—a smaller spot with four standing waves—so you can get the feel of it. (That feel: typically around 70 degrees this time of year.) Once you catch the wave, you can stay on it for as long as your legs and balance hold out—Addison’s record is 19 minutes... but you’ve got American ingenuity on your side.

Once you’re feeling sufficiently fearless, you’ll want to head over to the monstrosity known as... Big Joe. (He looks like a Joe.) You’ll have to swim a mile from the riverbank to get there, but then you’ll find yourself in a secluded spot with nothing but tree-filled islands and one very inviting wave for company.

And maybe some take-out poutine.