I believe it’s been since March that I had last put on my 5-4.
I was sitting on the edge of my bed, feeling all compressed by the ridiculously thick neoprene wondering if it was even worth it.
I am not the kind of person to cancel plans, and with my ride almost here, it was too late to change my mind. So, let the adventure begin!
We drove up north, hoping to find some unfrozen water, but considering it was -16 degrees, most lakes were already covered in ice… Until we found this small, half frozen river in Morin Heights.
It was my first time SUPing in freezing temperatures, let alone being the first time in a river with current.
As the boards touched the water, it was go time.
Water would splash a bit, icing our boards as we paddled through the narrow corridor.
It was cold, really cold, but for some reason, I felt energized. My hair was frozen, and I stopped for a second to thank my wetsuit for being so thick, instantly blocking winter from my skin.
It wasn’t a smooth experience considering we had to get off our boards to climb over beaver dams to keep adventuring further into the Laurentians, but it sure was an epic adventure.
The kind of adventure that you read about and perhaps dream about, but never actually commit into doing.
Being in Quebec, we experience frigid temperatures that makes us stay inside and cocoon. Most of us tend to complain about the cold and how much we hate winter, but this is where we are from.
Instead of complaining, we should find a way to be attracted to it.
Go out on adventures and experience the cold, because not everyone has access to four seasons like we do.
Chilling on my SUP with my friend in complete silence made me realize how beautiful our province is. How beautiful the cold is when we are in the middle of nature, far from the big cities and busy streets.
