“I fell in love with gliding over the water like Jesus”

When my father died suddenly four years ago, I was shocked. We think we have more time, but that’s not always true. I decided to stop putting things off: I took up salsa, bought a dirt bike, and travelled to Aruba to try windsurfing, kitesurfing and wing foiling. I’d seen a clip of the latter on social media: people hovering over the water, powered by the wind. They were standing on a board mounted on top of a hydrofoil, which looks a bit like an airplane wing and functions the same way, except underwater. They were also holding a sail, which provides propulsion, while the hydrofoil underneath generates lift as it pushes through the water. When everything goes right, you’re levitating over the surface like Jesus.

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Except everything did not go right for me in Aruba. I signed up for a lesson that came with next to no instruction—they just gave me the board and foil then left. Bad plan. Each time I gained momentum and came out of the water, I’d fall. It was a dismal failure, so I didn’t try wing foiling again until two years later. In 2024, I met a man named Max Robinson at my gym. He teaches wing foiling at the Toronto Windsurfing Club and is something of an athletic Adonis. I figured if anyone could teach me, it would be him.

We had our first lesson—$240 for two hours, totally worth it—by Cherry Beach. It’s the perfect location: protected, flat water, good wind. I started off behind a boat, no sail, just holding a rope for momentum. With Robinson’s help, I got a proper sense of pitch and angles, and it felt incredible when I started lifting out of the water. Once I had that down, we ditched the tow line and added the sail. After four lessons, I had the hang of it. I’ve since taken myself out on Lake Ontario, Lake Simcoe and Lake of Bays. The feeling? Pure stoke. It’s a tricky sport, but every time I practise, I feel myself getting better. Every micro-adjustment brings a surge of adrenalin.

I’ve become obsessed with the wind—I check wind reports for the lake about eight times a day, and I’m constantly looking at the cameras at the Toronto Windsurfing Club for the best conditions. What makes the hobby even better is the people—it’s such a cool and diverse community. I can’t wait for next summer, but in the meantime I’ve saved up so I can head to Mexico or the Caribbean every few weeks during the colder months to wing foil. I’ve also compiled a list of the top destinations for the sport. I really want to go to Mauritius, off the coast of Madagascar. When you’re out on the water, it feels like the whole ocean is yours.