So we found the "Buseater" – The Alex Garella six word special

Alzar School | 13.08.08

Well, yesterday we made it down the correct channel to Lorne Rapids, home of the famous Greyhound Buseater wave. This feature only comes out above 14′ on the OWL gauge, so we felt pretty lucky to be surfing it in August, when the air and water are both warm.

The first striking thing about Buseater is how you get on it. Kayakers have attached a long rope, about 100 yards upstream, with a water-skiing handle on the end of it. One person sits on the point of rock adjacent to the wave, retrieves the rope after each ride, and hands it to you in the eddy. To get out on the wave, you have to hold onto the rope with one hand (your paddle in the other) and jet out across 15 yards of intense current. A couple of bounces, and you’re on the wave.

The wave itself is something else. It is big, deep, fast, bouncy. Alex describes it with these six words: “gnarly, awesome, fast, bouncy, crazy, hungry.” We spent all day at the wave, pretty much pumping out our right arms (the one that holds onto the rope). One interesting thing about the wave is that people come from all over to surf it. At times, we had to wait in a line 12 people deep… though I wonder how many would be there if this wave was on the Ocoee! Other times, though, we had the wave to ourselves, and definitely got in a workout. In all, we each probably got 15 rides or so, and were completely wiped at the end of the day. Probably the best part of the rides were the incredible bounces… it made you feel like you were flying in your kayak. Look forward to posts of video and photos once we return to Idaho.

So, we headed to a local diner for some dinner, Canadian style. Both Alex and I tried the famous “poutine,” a mixture of gravy, cheese, and french fries. It is a heart attack on a plate, that’s for sure. But, delicious. Alex’s six words to describe it are: “heart-stopping, delicious, filling, moist, cheesy, and hearty.” I’m now hooked on the stuff, and may try to implement it in the Alzar School menu.

– Sean