Dane Jackson, a world-renowned professional whitewater kayaker, was spotted hitting the waves of the Ottawa River on Thursday. Jackson, a Red Bull-sponsored athlete who has won multiple kayaking world championships, was out on the Ottawa River near Aylmer and Bate Island, taking on what he referred to as one of the “best waves in the world.” “This is the time of year called stakeout for whitewater kayakers, which means once the melt starts, the ice starts breaking away, the rivers get high and it’s some of the world’s most worldclass surfing,” Jackson told CTV News Ottawa Paddling on the Ottawa River can be dangerous any time but is especially recommended against this time of year. Parts of the Ottawa River are currently under flood watch, making for highly dangerous conditions. “It’s not something that just anybody should go out and do but it’s something that we do as professionals,” Jackson said. “We know what we’re doing. We know how to surf it safely, and we never surf it alone.” Jackson says he was hoping for one strong session on the river, as the water conditions change rapidly. “This particular wave, it’s coming into a window where we should be able to surf it for the majority of today,” he said. “Then, by the end of today and tomorrow, because the river’s rising, it will likely be gone. So, we just try to catch it at that prime window.”
