Surfing Santa arrives by helicopter to put on a Christmas spectacle

At about 1 p.m. on Monday when John Fulton was minutes away from setting sail in the waters of Lake Erie and the Niagara River, The Weather Network was showing a -8C temperature with the wind chill factored in.

It was the 40th year for Surfing Santa, an annual tradition in Fort Erie where Fulton throws on a dry suit underneath a Santa Claus costume and rides the current on his stand-up paddle board from near the Peace Bridge to the Niagara Parks Marina, about a nine-kilometre distance.

He arrived in a helicopter and was greeted with fanfare at Mather Arch before he hit the water.

In an interview with Fort Erie Radio, he said there was one year that it was the coldest day on record. Monday wasn’t quite that bad but it was still “pretty cold,” he said, noting that it gets uncomfortable being out in the frigid weather before he sets sail.

“Once I’m out there paddling, I’m okay,” Fulton said, adding that his pinky fingers are the part of his body that end up being bothered the most.

A Niagara Regional Police marine unit vessel was also on scene.

For 40 years, Fulton has raised awareness and donations for causes related to homelessness. The latest to be added to the program this year is Strong Fort Erie Neighbourhoods (SFEN), a relatively new non-profit serving Greater Fort Erie.

Surfing Santa was collecting socks and undergarments for the local group, which is headquartered out of the Parish Hall at St. Michael’s Catholic Church.

While SFEN serves regular meals to needy people in the community, they also work with people who are unhoused.

“That’s big in his heart and we’re glad he connected with us,” said Theresa Murphy, a representative from the group, about the recently-formed collaboration with Surfing Santa, noting that what SFEN does is more than just a meal program.

“We have so much more that’s going on,” she said at Mather Arch, adding that their team of volunteers works with people who experience homelessness.

“We try to build relationships with them and connect them to the next level of support,” said Murphy.

Mayor Wayne Redekop said Surfing Santa is a big part of Fort Erie’s identity during the Christmas holidays, “a tradition of generosity over the years.”

Redekop said it’s excellent that Fulton has partnered with a Fort Erie organization and told Fort Erie Radio that the Surfing Santa event “really epitomizes the spirit of Christmas.”

Niagara Parks chair Bob Gale said he was pleased by the safety measures in place at the event related to a helicopter landing and taking off from Mather Arch.

The Niagara Parks board approved the event easily as it offers “a lot of benefits” to the community, Gale told Fort Erie Radio.

To incorporate the helicopter, an approval from Transport Canada was required.

The chopper was brought in by Great Lakes Helicopters based out of the Kitchener-Waterloo area.

Bailey Gackstetter, vice-president of operations for the company, said it was “very exciting” to be delivering Santa on Monday.

“It’s amazing they’ve been putting this on for so long,” she said.

There is “a lot of space” to work with at Mather Arch and Transport Canada needed a 10-day notice to approve the landing, which she said was given without any issues, as they are “very familiar” with the operation, as this was not the first time Fulton arrived in an aircraft.

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