| 21st Century Santa
 Wow! I've received over a million hits on
www.surfingsanta.com. The visits to my site came from all over the
globe - from Africa to the Russian Federation. If you go online to
Dogpile.com and type in Surfing Santa and John Fulton you will pull
up news services from all over the world that carried it.
What
a Difference a Century Makes.
I've been pursuing for this effort without much fanfare for 18
years drawing attention to various causes including Fort Erie
Outreach ,Out of The Cold Homeless Shelter, Resource Association for
Teenagers (R.A.F.T) and others. My wife is very traditional when it
comes to Christmas, so I tend to get some resistance from her while
trying to pull this event off each year. (She worries that I may not
be around to carve the turkey :) As you may know by now unless you
were no wear near a radio, TV, or the Net on the 22nd and 23rd of
December (every news station we had on satellite carried it for up
to 24 hours.) Surfing Santa Claus was blown to the American side and
busted by the US Border Patrol. MY version of the story
My CNN contact Harry R. is always in a hurry when he comes out
for the Surfing Santa event. He's been covering it diligently for
all 18 years. Well, this time, as in the past, he had other major
stories to cover; car crashes fires etc. I'm thinking wait a minute
we get too much bad news in the media, just look at any news
service, story after story of bad news. So I figure, "Hey it's a
nice day, good west south west wind, if he wants the story this year
he's going to have to chase me to get it." Down winder here I
come!
I did a huge first run straight across from Old Fort Erie to
Buffalo. I couldn't get my harness hooked in to my lines which were
still from the cold as well as my boom was adjusted too high ,not to
mention the interference from the Santa beard and the baggy Santa
suit. So I failed my first turn and had to uphaul my sail, losing
precious ground in the swift current. On this particular launch any
wind with a south in it blows downstream. The current as it squeezes
through the pylons under the Peace Bridge between Buffalo and Fort
Erie, is about 12 knots. So suddenly, whether I liked it or not, I
was on a down winder. I took a few extra precious seconds to adjust
my boom and stuck my gloves down the neck of my suit in case I got
into trouble later and I need them to swim.  The
Niagara River is full of wind holes. So the down winder experience
is one of going from walking a tightrope to holding on to a garage
door in a hurricane. I was able to up haul and Surf under the Peace
Bridge. Apparently I was spotted by a tourist driving over the Peace
Bridge who called into the coast guard that I was in distress. It
wasn't until I got about 2 miles downriver to the international
train bridge that I realized that Harry R. hadn't left and was
chasing me and that he wanted the story more than the others, that
he had been assigned. There he was at the old Under Water Recovery
Unit with his tripod and half a dozen video and still cameras. He
shoots for channel 2, 4, 7,, 9,11, CNN, Toronto Star, Globe and
Mail, Toronto Sun, St.Catharines Standard and more. He's the best in
the business. Little did I know that, at the time, brewing on the
Lake was a squall packing up to 60mph winds. This was going to be a
repeat of my Surfing Santa inauguration in 1985.(Back then I sailed
a 1981 Windsurfer brand Windsurfer with a Dacron sail and Teakwood
booms, while sporting a thick neoprene diver's wetsuit and wet
boots. Back then the top 3 feet of my fiberglass mast snapped off
and I lost control of the sail, ending up on the US side. I made
international press in 1985 and as I did this time, I was supposedly
picked up by the coast guard, handed over to the police and shipped
back to Canada. This sensationalized story was what created the
media wave that I've been riding for charitable causes each year
ever since.) Ditching Santa's Pants
After some theatrics, a short rest, and the ditching of my Santa
Pants, I resumed my tour. At about the Bowen Road Park launch I
began to kick some ass. According to Hoppy (Brian Hopkins) my long
time Surfing partner and rescue team captain (he claims the sport
misses me more than I miss the sport) I had a 30 foot rooster tail
behind me and was cranking out at top speed. The sun was beaming out
of the winter clouds, a flock of Canadian Geese raced along overhead
seeming to cheer me on. "Man do I miss this sport!"
By now I was dialed-in equipment wise, except for my back foot
strap that was giving me trouble. (I no longer own any gear. I
borrow it from Paul Putney, a 50-something self-admitted Windsurfing
addict that gave up a high paying executive job in Toronto to paint
houses in Fort Erie so that he could be closer to the water.)
Not getting into the back strap was costing me some energy but
with the wind shifts on the river during a down winder I was
constantly in and out of the straps anyway. By now I'm way over to
the American side of the river. To get back to the Canadian side was
going to require impossible tacking back and forth. 
The wind was blowing from west south west at about 60 mph into my
6.7 sq/m.sail with its SurfingSanta.com Logo'd billboard. Never mind
that the sail was out of control, the Fanatic Race board I was
surfing on was now getting picked up out of the water by the wind
and being tossed like a paper airplane. I was a few hundred yards
from what looked like an abandoned boat yard next to the New York
State Highway. I figured it was time to go ashore and contact my
ground crew and to notify authorities of my arrival. The winds were
cranking, according to weather records, at almost 60 mph or 100 kph,
I had a bruised rib from getting launched several times, I had a cut
on my right hand, and was totally, physically spent after trying at
least a dozen times to make it back to the Canadian side. This was
the first year that my 10 year old son was out to watch. Imagine my
thoughts at how worried he would be. Believe me I did not want to
land on the American side. This was going to be a major
inconvenience. Little did I know that I was about to set off
an international incident that was to be felt around the world.
I carefully scaled the rock strewn embankment with my surf board
overhead. My arms and legs were spent from trying to keep from
getting airborne. In the parking lot of the abandoned boat yard,
there was a 1950's house trailer with a smoldering chimney. I felt
like Burt Reynolds in a scene from Deliverance.
At the door of the beat up trailer was a weathered looking man in
his 60's who did not seem to even notice the waterlogged Santa
hauling a Surfer over his head coming from the frigid river (36
degrees F). I approached him and noticed there were two more old
salts in the trailer staying warm next to a wood burning stove. Now
I was actually thinking "Run for it," but I also noticed there was a
phone on the wall. My need to contact my son to let him know that I
was OK was out weighing self preservation. I introduced my self and
said I was from Canada, and asked if I could use the phone. "No way
can you use our phone," this old %&#@@@** said. "Canada's long
distance."
I said, "Are you kidding me? I'm Santa Claus and this is
Christmas, Besides I'll call collect. You have to at least let me
call the police."
Which after a couple of Jack Nicholson imitations from The Last
Detail: ("I'm going to call the Shore Patrol," What do you mean I am
the Shore Patrol, They call me Badass, Badass.")and laughing through
a toothless grin he decided to at least let me call the Police.
Little did I know at the time that I was flipping from Deliverance
to The Last detail to an international incident.
While I was onshore I spotted the coast guard and went out to the
dock to greet them. I waved them off as I have many times in the
past after crashing a jump in the river. Though this time it wasn't
as simple as waving them off. Because - I had come ashore post 911
there was info they needed. It took them about 10 minutes to dock
and by then the police had followed up on my call and were arriving
at the scene. The police scanners had tipped off the paparazzi and
before you now it the abandoned shore was a scene from Day of The
Locusts!
The coast guard and police seemed to be happy with the info I had
provided them and I was free to go.. When the border patrol showed
up, it was a different story. I was placed under arrest for
illegally entering the US.
Now the camera guys had a story. You could see it in their eyes:
they were on the scene of an international incident that would later
be felt around the world -Santa Claus Busted!
You could see my body language on the TV News clips; "What?! You
got to be kidding! Me? Arrested…?!!! I've been doing this for 18
years, I'm your neighbor, this is part of the local culture,
Buffalo's channel 4 has been carrying this for 18 years. Channel 2
wrote a song about it. Come on, you have to be joking!"
No, they weren't joking. This was the real thing. Up
against the car pal! We don't care if you're the Surfing Pope!
You're coming with us!(my words).
The results of the cold and the hypothermia from standing around
in 38 degree weather soaking wet for over an hour trying to talk my
way out of this diplomatic nightmare came later. My slightly leaking
dry suit would allow me to stay warm in the cold river long enough
to swim to shore, so at no point did I feel that my life was in
danger. I've spent thousands of hours swimming and surfing the
Niagara River
I think the Border Patrol officers that came down to the scene
knew that arresting Santa Claus was going to be a mistake. They
seemed to want to let me go. The Coast Guard and the police were
happy to let me go on my merry little way after identifying myself
and my cause. I was already on land by the time the coast guard
sailed by and had called the police to notify them of my presence
and to see if they would notify my crew. One police officer on the
scene offered me the back of his cruiser to warm up in.
I could sense that things were heading from bad to worse. I was
starting to lose my ability to form words properly when the police
officer, wearing a heavy winter jacket, gloves and a cap said to me,
"I'm freezing just looking at you"
Luckily I had removed my Santa Suit, not so dry suit and got in
to my clothes and Hoppy's Elvis Sunglasses before the cameras caught
me spread eagle up against the Paddy wagon. My crew followed us as I
was whisked away to Border Patrol Headquarters. Once out of the
media spotlight the arresting officers were quite personable and
accommodating. It wasn't until I was seated in the interrogation
room that I began to realize the scope of what was happening.
After treating me to a unforgettable ride in the SUV Paddy wagon,
a Pepsi(I usually drink coke}, hot Coffee and basic questioning they
discovered that I had no useable ID so I had to get them the Border
Patrol to visit my Surfing Santa website to positively ID me, After
which I was electronically finger printed and then photographed.
After the first photograph I turned sideways for the profile shot,
but they didn't seem to want that- I've seen too many cop shows I
guess.
I was then asked to sign a request for disposition form, before
being released and I said "No way. Not without my lawyer present, I
don't know what I'm signing."
Their response was that I would be spending Christmas with the
inmates at an upstate prison if I didn't sign it and I would need
$5000.00 to post bail. They promised that this was just paperwork
and that I would have no permanent record on any system.
I tried unsuccessfully to contact a friend at Immigration Canada
and my lawyer. At this point I had had about enough; then I began to
feel kind of sorry for these guys. I was thinking that what was
happening was a case of post 9/11 jitters, kind of a knee/jerk
reaction. So I agreed to sign the request for disposition form if
there was a slight amendment made to it reading "Subject
inadvertently landed in US while performing Surfing Santa duties.
Subject requested and was granted a VR". Well guys it's been a
slice, I shook hands and made a b-line for my brothers truck
wondering if I ll ever be able to do the all the things I love to do
in America again: ski, Disney, Conferences, movies, Bars, Great
food, Cape Hatteras, California, Hawaii????? Well I was promised by
the top guy that it would not be a problem and that this would not
be on any record but theirs. They're all getting tee shirts next
year. I plan on keeping a copy of my "got the boot while doing
Surfing Santa duties paperwork" in the glove compartment of both my
family vehicles in case I'm crossing the border and am questioned.
The Response
A few years back Santa Surfed Erie on the coldest day in recorded
history. It's been no easy task hanging in there for all these years
with little "measurable" positive feedback from the people I'm
trying to reach and inform. Of course, this year, getting busted
Sunday, December 22 by inadvertently landing on US soil made up for
it. I received over 500 emails from all over the world, some
declaring me a national hero and over a million hits on my website!
Whew! But the first person my father bumped into after the event
asked him "What's it like to be the father of an international
terrorist?" The Bottom line
 The bottom line for me has always been not to waste the
media exposure on self promotion or even on boosting participation
in the most amazing sport of Windsurfing, but to use the mass media
to promote a worthy cause.
Good Causes Deserve Good Press
Homelessness, especially when it concerns homeless teenagers, is
a very serious issue: homeless adults in many cases were homeless
teens. If we are going to reduce homelessness we have to try to
intervene at an early age. Couch Surfers
The evening of the event, we sponsored a Sub and Pizza party at a
shelter for 60 homeless teens. They refer to themselves as "Couch
Surfers", Who would have thought there would be 6o or more homeless
teenagers in a small city like St. Catharines, Ontario?
Believing in Someone
I was asked to talk to them about my illegal immigrant
experience. I ended up in a motivational rant in which I offered the
conclusion (that I believe will help some of them transcend their
situation) "Believe in yourself, but most of all find someone who
believes in you." The Inside Story of Santa in Custody
What's it like be blown ashore in America dressed as Santa and
get taken away by the border patrol? Interrogated and photographed?
To be truthful, I was kind of in shock. When I was blown ashore
the first thing I did was call the police . If you are a VESSEL IN
DISTRESS, international laws allow for this kind of entry into a
foreign country. A Cold Wet Visa
So, I don't totally comprehend why I was hauled in. Maybe it was
because CNN was at the scene and they knew Washington would be
watching, in other words, they had better follow what they
considered protocol.
I was cold, wet and tired at the time so I wasn't thinking as
quickly as usual. When I was asked to stand against the SUV Paddy
wagon, I thought I was actually going to be frisked The only thing I
had on me was my Visa . It's only considered a weapon when my wife
has possession of it. A Different Perspective.
Ed Duda, U.S. Border Patrol deputy chief, said he suspected the
incident was a publicity stunt and doubts the man's claim that he
"accidentally blew" across the river. "This was poor judgment on his
part," said Duda. "I heard he was down there laughing about it. He
may think this is funny, but this is a national security issue."
Duda adding the occurrence tied up precious manpower when U.S.
Border officials have the large task of protecting 450 miles of
Buffalo's water boundary. (I had lots of media attention on the
Canadian side covering the event so this landing was unnecessary.)
Well yes, it was a publicity stunt to bring attention to homeless
teenagers, the same stunt I have been doing religiously for 18
years, but I didn't intend to get blown ashore and touch the nerve
of Homeland Security! The Canadian journalist writing for the
Buffalo News stated that I was charged with a misdemeanor and
released to Canadian immigration. As far as I know I was not charged
and my crew member who picked me up and drove me back to Canada does
not work for immigration. This was the first year that my 10 year
old son was out to watch. Imagine my thoughts at how worried he
would be. Santa as an Illegal Immigrant
The Border Patrol Coast guard and police procedure I witnessed
proved that these guys were highly experienced. They must go through
it hundreds of times with truly illegal immigrants. Apparently there
are now so many of what are considered illegal immigrants trying to
get across from Canada to the US that the courts are flooded so they
don't bother arresting them - They just ship them back. On the 9th
or 10h time I believe they finally arrest and jail
them. Around the World In 80 Waves
One of my concerns about this incident is that it might interfere
with my international travel plans. I am now planning an around the
world trip on a Windsurfer in the name of homeless children
worldwide. This is part 3 of a 20 year legacy of drawing attention
to issues surrounding homelessness. I plan on leaving from
California in the spring of 2004 on the first leg of the around the
globe tour. I figure that there's got to be a few people worldwide
who are aware of the waterlogged Santa making bail hat will support
the cause. The White House Calls
I've been asked what the fallout is going to be for other
watercraft in distress after Santa Claus was supposedly arrested.
I'm leaving that up to the I.N.S., Immigration Canada and Bush's
press secretary to figure out. The White House called back the same
day in response to our inquiry. I started talking away on the phone
to a colleague that I thought I had on hold and here it was the
White House! Homeland In-Security
Looking back I'm glad that the media frenzy that resulted managed
to focus on the cause of homelessness and not that 'Santa was
unnecessarily arrested for coming to America:
I'm glad I didn't take issue with, what I felt along with the
senders of hundreds of e-mails in support of me, was an unnecessary
arrest earlier in this letter. I had an opportunity to raise that
issue during a live interview on CNN radio and TV. I was watching it
on the big screen as I was talking on the phone to them with a 1
second delay. The entire world of media had been trying to get the
'unnecessary arrest' story out of me but I wouldn't budge - ABC,
CBS, NBC, Associated Press, the Globe and Mail Europe, Australia
etc.
I'm sure the U.S. government was watching the results of this
closely. Many of my website hits were from US Government and US
military I really don't want to cause them any post 9/11 grief, but
I would like them to better educate the public on how to deal with
the new homeland security rules. Few seem to know what they are in
regards to vessels in distress.
One thing I've learned for sure is that next year the US Border
Patrol, US Coast Guard, New York State Police ,INS, Canadian
Immigration, Canadian Coast guard, Fort Erie Fire Dept., Niagara
EMS, Niagara Regional Police, Niagara Parks Police,and my Father are
all going to get Christmas cards with an invitation to Surfing Santa
fest 2003, with a date, time and location. I also plan to have the
Border Patrol's phone no. stored on my cell phone speed dial in case
I venture back into Hells half acre(that's a little known nautical
term for an area on the river that puts up huge rollers), and need
to get permission to come ashore! Many Thanks
Many thanks for your warm words of encouragement from the
visitors to my website.
Keep an eye on surfingsanta.com for updates on my world wide tour
in support of homeless children.
Have a wonderful New Year and prosperous 2003. -John Fulton
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