Just Dessert

To attempt to surf Dessert, a standing wave in the middle of the Ottawa River, I must first drive from my home on the south side of Ottawa through downtown and across a bridge to Gatineau, Quebec. The trip can take more than an hour if I get snagged by traffic or construction. I say “must” because often — unable to think about anything else, stories left half finished on my laptop, domestic chores hastily completed, family and friends forsaken — I cannot not do this. After parking on a residential street near a riverside park, I remove my stand‑up paddleboard from the roof rack, where the eight-foot-five-inch SUP frequently resides. Then I discreetly change into a dry suit, wetsuit, or bathing suit (as discreetly as one can disrobe beside their vehicle), depending on the season; put on a personal flotation device, helmet, and neoprene booties; leash myself to the board; snap together a three-piece paddle; chit-chat with any other surfers who are getting onto or off...