Surfing Santa to set sail for 40th year in a row on December 23

John Fulton vividly remembers when he was interrogated by U.S. border officials in 2002 after his annual Surfing Santa adventure went a bit wrong.

It was not long after 9-11, and security was tight at that time.

But the wind carried him across the Niagara River and the next thing he was doing was explaining himself to officers from the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Customs, and Buffalo Police.

The escapade made CNN and he was told by one of the officers questioning him that “Washington was watching,” he reminisced with Fort Erie Radio earlier this week.

He was photographed and fingerprinted before he was let go.

But his annual Christmas windsurf has become “pretty collaborative” with agencies on the other side of the border, as they are on standby every year when he hits the water on December 23.

He had to be pulled over to the U.S side about 10 years after the first incident when the mast snapped on his sail, he said.

“It’s been a great partnership ever since,” he said, admitting that when times have gone awry, it’s still good publicity.

This year will be Surfing Santa’s 40th, and as always the public is invited to cheer him on from the shore. He will depart at about 11 a.m. on Lake Erie behind Old Fort Erie and sail the river to the Niagara Parks Marina.

Fulton has raised items and money for a number of causes over the years with a recent focus on socks and undergarment donations.

This year, along with other agencies, he will raise awareness and support for Strong Fort Erie Neighbourhoods (SFEN), a registered charity providing assistance to needy people in Fort Erie through a number of programs.

Fulton told Fort Erie Radio that socks and underwear, food items, and small Thermos-type containers are some of the items he hopes to collect for SFEN.

Fulton said he’s never missed a year, even in the heaviest of snowfalls.

“It doesn’t matter what the weather is,” he said.

Stay Informed

Events, offers, contests, and breaking news, all delivered straight to your inbox.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Subscribe