And who should drop in to make a clip but the President of the Canadian Surfing Association, John Fluke -- a big fan of our province's excellent surfing scene. "Some of the best surfing in Eastern North America is found here in Nova Scotia," he says. "The water's a little cold in the wintertime, but we like it here."

The very thought of surfing in February sends me running for the nearest hot tub, but John assured me that Nova Scotia's surfing scene is active all year long. Wetsuits, hoods, gloves and boots protect against the winter cold and in summer our warmer beaches see surfers riding the waves in swimsuits or board shorts.

According to John, our coastline is what makes Nova Scotia surfing unique. "Depending on the swell direction there is always someplace to surf," he says, Starting in Halifax Regional Municipality, "you can surf all the way down the South Shore and Cape Breton."

John is planning a big event at Lawrencetown Beach this fall: the Billabong September Storm Surf Classic, which will see surfers from all over Canada and the US Eastern Seaboard compete for cash prizes and the chance to qualify for a spot on the Canadian team at the International Surfing Association contest. The event is slated for September, "on the best weekend that happens to have waves."

John is excited about how popular the sport has become in this region. "The growth of surfing in Nova Scotia can be seen every day with the amount of surf boards on top of cars in the HRM", says John. "Five years ago you would see a few, but now it's a common sight."

Surf's up in Nova Scotia!  For more information, check out the surfing page at novascotia.com. See you at the beach!

Photos courtesy of Nova Scotia Department of Economic and Rural Development and Tourism