We filmed in Halifax for a total of 8 days, boots on the ground. The crew was Darrell Mathes, Kennedi Deck, Quin Ellul, Mike Liddle, and myself, with Liam Glass shooting photos - pretty epic squad. It was a tight window, but if everything went according to plan, we’d scrounge together a little clip. We operated at a feverish pace the entire trip because we all realized that if the video was going to be half decent, we didn’t have any other choice. I feel like it was a pretty unique experience for us all to go on a trip that short with the hopes of putting something together that was worth watching. We had a couple of big battle days to keep us on our toes - Kennedi and I always joke about being battlers - but generally, things worked efficiently. I don’t know if I’ll ever go on another trip where we have a five-clip day. Between iphone photo timestamps and my selective memory, the following time log encapsulates our trip to Halifax.
For the record, before people start saying “how did you not call it Howlifax” or something along those lines; of course we thought of that. It’s honestly staring you right in the face, but for good reason, it was best to leave the low-hanging fruit alone this time around.
Starring: Kennedi Deck, Finn Westbury, Mike Liddle, Quin Ellul and Darrell Mathes
Filmed by: Finn Westbury and Quin Ellul
Edited by: Finn Westbury
Photography by: Liam Glass
January 29th, 2024
14:32 - I text my friend Gregor Zed, who’s from Halifax, about the storm forecast. He says “Hahhaha id say hard maybe."
16:47 - After a couple hours of risk-versus-reward assessment phone calls with the crew, the latter was too alluring to not snap on. I purchase my flight for the following morning.
17:54 - Van rental complete.
18:05 - Begin packing.
21:24 - Finish packing. Google Maps madness sets in.
January 30th, 2024
06:45 - Head to the airport to link up with Kuzyk who was on the same flight to Halifax.
08:15 - Google Maps is firing again.
13:46 - Layover in MTL.
19:24 - Halfway to Halifax, I spill an entire ginger ale on the only pair of pants that I brought on the trip.
20:52 - After safely landing, I rush to a hopefully better-equipped bathroom to continue to dry off my jeans. This was largely unsuccessful, so I become one with the discomfort.
21:15 - Meet up with Kennedi, Quin, and Liam at the airport.
21:32 - After getting our gear, we pick up our rental car. We get upgraded to a Jeep Grand Wagoneer - awesome.
21:25 - Hit the road to immediately go to King Of Donair, a local staple. We bring Jake with us. Everybody eats.
22:00 - The donair was a hit, and conveniently close to where Jake was meeting up with Savannah and Parrish. We drop Jake off and head to our AirBnB.
22:24 - Another heavy Google Maps session.
January 31st, 2024
08:00 - Wake up. Darrell and Mike arrive later in the afternoon, so we have a day to scope and maybe board something.
08:45 - Quick Tim Horton’s hit. We weren’t sure if Mike and Darrell would be down with Tims so we had to hit it at least once, out of respect.
09:14 - Kenny, Quin, Liam and I begin to scope the city.
11:52 - With a ton of spots already located, we snap on a fun lil piece for Ken and Quin. It’s this down rail against a fence that we recognized from past videos. Kenny goes first and then Quin follows it up. First couple of clips in the bag.
13:41 - We head to another classic Halifax piece, this flat-to-down rail that Frank April and others have hit in years past. I wanted to transfer to the other rail, something that I hadn’t seen on that rail before. After some research and development, we got it done.
16:24 - Pull up at the airport to pick up Darrell and Mike. One of Darrell’s bags doesn’t make it.
16:51 - Touch down at the crib, get situated, and log the footage from the day.
18:56 - With our new additions, we head out to go scope some spots that Darrell and Mike are interested in, as well as shovel something for Quin to do tomorrow morning.
23:04 - Touch down at home and decompress a bit before heading to sleep.
Feburary 1st, 2024
07:30 - Wake up.
08:03 - Drive across big toll bridge.
08:15 - Breakfast at a bagel spot near what we had set up for Quin.
08:30 - Roll up to the spot for Quin, he runs ahead to do some finishing touches and proceeds to get aggressively kicked out by a supercitizen. Plan B it is.
08:35 - Drive back across big toll bridge
08:50 - Arrive at a rail in downtown that we scoped the day before for Kennedi. This square-bar triple kink was tucked in between a public library and a residential building and seemed like a potential bust - we had to try.
08:55 - Start setting the spot up. Halifax is right on the water, so the snow was heavy but good for building.
09:32 - Build a massive snow drop in. After Kenny does a couple roll-ins, we decide to move the entire thing 5 feet to the right.
09:45 - Kennedi starts trying boardslide. There is a car that was parked pretty close to the rail that makes it look really annoying to try.
11:03 - Awkward car moves and it feels like Kennedi can actually start trying now.
12:35 - An airline rep meets us at the spot to drop off Darrells lost bag.
13:11 - Quick break after local legend Ian MacArthur comes by and drops off a flat of water bottles. Goated move. This trip wouldn’t have been the same without Ian’s help!
13:58 - There are so many people coming up to us and talking. Most people are nice, and we had a couple of regular visitors. At thie point, this woman pulls up, and she is the elected MLA for the area of the city that we were in. She was hyped and it felt cool to have her be down for us to snowboard there. Shoutout Suzy Hansen!
14:19 - Quin and I attempt to lure the birds with the Pringles to land by the rail.
14:44 - Our bird plan is foiled by someone feeding the birds at a park across the street.
15:15 - Kennedi gets a fresh boardslide, but decides to give it a couple more attempts.
15:42 - We wrap up and head to scope a down rail, which had been replaced with this spicy down hop down rail, with a close-out on one side in the middle. Despite nearing the end of the day, Quin and Mike are both interested and we get it popping. I have a nice conversation with an older gentleman who is really hyped on what we are doing.
16:10 - The spot comes together fast, and as Quin hops onto his first boardslide, all my fears fade away. The guy is built for shit like this. He does the boardslide-hop-boardslide first go and flies off this bump in the landing and rides down these bleachers built into the hill on his back.
16:17 - Quin laces another boardslide, perfect.
16:26 - Quin tries to clean it up / get another one and gets bodied off the far side over the close-out. He taps out, and Mike taps in.
16:42 - Mike makes quick work of the fs 5050. Quin films an awesome fish angle and then a couple long lens cuts.
17:03 - With the last of the light going, we call it a wrap and hit the road to get some scope some spots for tomorrow. Another three clips day, against all odds.
18:21 - Get back to the house, and order food in while the storm really sets in.
19:45 - We brave the elements for the evening. We secure some clippers from Sav, and get eyes on some a couple more spots. It’s supposed to keep snowing hard through the night.
23:07 - Get home, make a quick plan for tomorrow, and call it a night.
February 2nd, 2024
07:30 - Open eyes.
08:15 - We got some bagels and cream cheese from the morning hit the day prior, so we get a little food going at home before dippin’ out.
09:15 - Arrive at the first spot, this gap to down that we had done some prep for the night prior. We start shovelling. It’s still snowing pretty hard.
09:34 - We get the blessings to board the spot from the workers at the nearest business, a daycare. We have to wrap up by early afternoon when the kids all come out and use the stairs.
09:54 - Darrell and I start boarding. It was my first time getting to hit a spot with Darrell, so that felt cool.
10:48 - After messing around with a couple things, I get my trick, a gap hardway fs 180. Never filmed one of those before. Darrell is dialing in his front board.
11:26 - Darrell laces, perfect pre-lunch timing.
12:03 - Quick lunch hit,
12:33 - Roll up to this pretty big DFDFD. Quin and Mike are both interested. With two clips in the bag, could we get two more?
12:46 - As we begin to shovel, a city worker pulls up. He’s wearing a Pro Skates hoodie, which is the boardshop in town. I realize it’s the same guy I chatted with while walking by Mike and Quins spot the day prior. Small world! We get the go-ahead.
13:14 - Mike get’s acquainted with the fence on his first attempt. Whiplash what up!
13:57 - Quin laces a back 5050, warm up style. Easy for the kid.
14:31 - Mike does a phenomenal switch boardslide, back to switch. So good - he’s built different.
14:40 - Quin makes a good attempt at the transfer between the rails. The stairset is wide as hell and honestly only someone with hops like Quin could even consider this as a possibility.
16:10 - Quin get’s a good one and we wrap up this spot. The light is leaving, but with four clips in the bag, we’re fired up to try and get Kennedi one.
16:48 - Pull up to the next spot. Skate style bump to bar kinda vibes. It’s getting dark, and it’s snowing.
17:23 - Ken does a couple, Quin figures out the filming, and we get a good one. Ken keeps going to get a photo with Liam.
18:14 - Pull up to CHKN CHOP for dinner. This place absolutely smacks, if you’re in Halifax, you gotta hit it. Brussel sprouts went crazy. Perfect dinner to celebrate a 5-clip day.
19:20 - Hit Canadian Tire and go shovel/prep some more spots.
21:22 - Get back home, and log all the footage. We start a little trip timeline. It’s snowing like absolutely mad out, so we take it easy for the night.
February 3rd, 2024
07:30 - Look outside. It’s fucked out. I go back to sleep for a bit.
08:15 - Up and at ‘em for real this time. We still have some bagels and coffee at home, so we make a plan for the day. It’s seriously storming out.
09:00 - Hit the road and scope some spots. The city has shuttered to a halt outside under the storm. We lurk around the downtown area to find something that provides a bit of coverage from the storm.
09:38 - Get to this down flat ledge thing for Darrell. It’s in a pocket between some buildings, so it’s a bit covered but the blowing snow is sweeping through the alleyway wind-tunnel style.
10:02 - I set off to find a bathroom, and everything is closed because of the storm so this takes way too long. This side quest also eventually blesses me with a chai latte.
10:26 - Get back to the spot in time for Darrell to start kicking it off. We make Quin a little filming nook underneath of one of the push shovels.
11:34 - Darrell clips, and we get the hell outta there and hit a cafe for lunch. We try and go to a rock climbing cafe, but the staff vibes us out so hard we leave without ordering anything. We hit another local spot, Café Lara, where the staff and food won us over. We will be back.
12:30 - We go to this kink rail for me on the other side of town. It’s still storming. There is a bit of prep here; building a big drop in, cutting some branches that overhang the start of the rail, and the top support was completely rusted out, so we had to tether it to a nearby tree with a ratchet strap.
13:30 - Start sessioning.
16:30 - Battle all afternoon and with the light leaving, I call it quits with plans to return another day.
16:55 - Gas station snack hit. Kennedi gets a beef and cheese stick to fuel up for a night spot.
17:09 - We get to this Kennedi line spot. It’s in a tunnel - such a cool spot. The storm has picked up and it’s fucked outside. This spot a) needs to be hit and b) is one of the only things we could film given the storm. We debate on the height of the roof - it’s tight, and realistically Kennedi is the only one in the crew that could have got away with it.
17:52 - Finish shovelling, and Ken starts boarding. Quin is filming the follow cam.
19:15 - My AC160 begins to self-sabotage itself. The storming from the past few days has begun to catch up to it. Kennedi laces one, but we can’t watch the clip back for some reason. Tensions are high.
19:47 - Kennedi gets a couple more options to choose from. Energy is low, so we call it and head back to watch the clips and hopefully find/fix the earlier missing make.
20:04 - Get home and order pizza in.
20:15 - Secure the once-lost clip from the camera. We got it - all is right in the world.
22:35 - Sleep.
February 4th, 2024
07:00 - Up early. The snow is showing no signs of stopping.
07:15 - We go to and get Quin a clip right away - breakfast can wait. It’s this roof ride, right above the line Kennedi filmed the night prior. The roof is a down flat down, with a grate on the flat that he needs to ollie onto. Quin handles, we do a couple of rolling longs from the car, and then brave the weather for a couple more angles.
09:05 - Another Café Lara hit.
10:10 - Roll up to the kink rail that I didn’t complete the day before. It’s storming more than the day prior, but fuck it. We left it set-up, so it was right back into it.
10:46 - Get blown off the drop-in.
11:30 - Get blown off the drop-in, again. There is a tree close to the first down that was messing with my head. This is getting annoying.
14:05 - I get one that I like, and we go to a nearby spot for Mike.
15:10 - Mike starts boarding. It’s snowing so hard it feels like it’s getting dark earlier than the other days.
15:45 - The wind is gusting at Mike, if the wind blows when he’s riding in, he has to abort the mission. This happens frequently.
18:02 - We call it a day. We made some clips happen, despite it being probably the snowiest day I’ve ever filmed in the streets.
18:39 - After some solid online research, we pull up to a fish and chip place. It’s insane - the portions of fries is godly. I don’t think anyone can finish their plates, and we all feel sluggish from the fried food. When in Halifax, you gotta eat some fish and chips, so despite our lacklustre feelings it felt good to check that one off the list.
19:03 - Arrive at home for a chill night in. Big day in the weather has us all needing to recoup some energy.
February 5th, 2024
07:00 - Wake up.
07:30 - Hit to road to another pre-breakfast clip for Quin. The weather has calmed in the late hours of the night. There is plenty of snow to work with for an easy build. This one is conveniently right around the corner from Café Lara.
08:16 - Quin clips up.
08:26 - Walk from the spot to Café Lara for breakfast. Anotha one.
09:18 - Hit the road to this kink rail on the water of this country club on the outskirts of town.
09:45 - Arrive at spot and sit in car for a bit while a plow truck driver completes the parking lot.
10:02 - Head around the main building to the spot in the back, and start setting it up. Kennedi wants to back 5050 it.
10:19 - A car arrives and people enter one of the houses on the property. Everyone stays behind the building and continues to build the spot while I sus out our new visitors.
10:26 - The property people get in their car to leave. They are looking at me kinda funny, so I pretend to get into our car and drive away after them. Once they’re out of view, I re-park the car and join the others.
12:45 - Kenny gets the make and we get out of there, and head to a spot for Mike.
12:59 - Quick lunch stop on the way.
13:15 - Arrive at this gap to down, and begin shovelling. Meet some lovely people who live at the houses that are around the rail.
14:11 - Mike starts trying. He wants to 270 it, and needs some serious speed. We don’t have a ton of bodies, so Liam has to put down his camera and help us pull bungee.
14:47 - A piece of Mike's board starts to pop out of the base which is noticeably slowing him down, making the spot way more sketchy than it should be.
15:05 - Darrell and I run back to the house to get Mike’s other board.
15:32 - Get back to the spot.
15:39 - Mike starts trying again.
16:03 - Rush hour is starting, and the in-run is getting pretty heat with cars ripping up this semi-blind hill. Quin is filming and watching for cars, while the rest of us help Mike get speed.
16:35 - Mike laces the 270.
17:15 - Get eyes on a couple of spots for the next day, and hit another local restaurant. We could see the water so I feel like it’s a pretty safe bet to hit some more fish and chips. This place was superior to the first fish n chip hit earlier in the week. Kennedi and Darrell both have old fashioned that they claim to be within their top-3 ranking. Not bad!
18:24 - More spot scoping and prepping. There is a wallride near the dinner spot that needed a good rub brick and some arboury.
21:19 - Get back to the Airbnb for the night.
February 6th, 2024
08:00 - Wake up.
09:05 - Pull up to this stupid down flat down where I will waste the next 6 hours suffering.
12:26 - Mike and Darrell head up and over the hill to shoot some product stuff.
13:06 - Little known to me at the time, but Mike and Darrell get the cover of the local newspaper.
15:10 - 200 attempts later, I call it quits while there is still enough light to hopefully get someone a clip. There is some serious guilt for wasting so much time on such a short trip.
15:33 - Arrive at a spot for Mike. It was this line where he ollies over a railing, and then boardslides this separated down-flat-down.
15:45 - Kids are getting out of school, so we have an awesome little squad of kids watching the session. They want our facemasks, and they want to help film. I let them film some Super 8 of Mike, but these kids are like 6, so the clip turned horrifically.
16:30 - Mike laces with the last of good light. The kids go wild. One trips while running up to celebrate with Mike. Wholesome hilarious moment of the trip.
16:45 - Some of us clean up, while the rest go over and help some kids try snowboarding. The whole session here was such a highlight of our time in Halifax.
17:05 - We’re back at CHKN CHOP for another dinner. You know I’m running the brussel sprouts again.
18:17 - More prepping spots for tomorrow.
February 7th, 2024
07:00 - Wake up. It’s our last full day, so we want to get some shit done.
07:45 - Roll up to this perfect multikink rail.
07:52 - Construct a massive snow drop in.
08:19 - Mike tests out the speed.
08:26 - We get aggressively kicked out, one of the only truly volatile interactions while in Halifax. This one guy was so heated that one of us dipped on the low to get the car off the premises while the rest of us cleaned up. The ol’ “don’t let them see the license plate” - classic.
08:41 - Meet back up at a nearby parking lot, and head to another spot for Darrell.
09:10 - Pull up to this spot at a Church, and get it all set up. There is some confusion from people in the building about what we are doing, but they were chill. At first, they thought we were a snow removal company, but we had already charmed them by the time they realized that wasn’t the case. We just had to be out by noon because we were snowboarding where the hearse needed to park for the funeral. Time crunch!
10:45 - Funeral attendees begin to roll up to the Church. The pressure is on.
11:05 - Darrell gets his clip, and we promptly clean up and get the hell outta there. No run-in with the hearse.
11:25 - On the way to the next spot, we stop by a local convenience store where we are greeted with a picture of Mike and Darrell on the front page of the local newspaper, The Chronicle Herald. Covers baby, covers. We clear them out of all four copies that they have.
11:45 - We boot up and venture up into the hills of a waterfront park to check out some old ruins. It’s a bit of a hike, but there was this skinny ledge thing that I wanted to board on.
12:15 - Arrive at the spot and start moving some snow around.
12:57 - We getting it going. Speed is an issue. The bungee is wrapped around a tree like 6 times, which collectively makes us all nervous.
13:53 - We get one that works, and prepare to ride down the hill back to the water.
14:10 - Awesome ride down to the car.
14:20 - Quick scenic moment by the water.
14:46 - Lunch hit. We’ve moving a bit slowly here on purpose because the next spot is better closer to the end of the day.
14:23 - Cruise up to the next spot. It’s this zone by the water that we’ve frequented over the trip, not too far from Kennedi’s tunnel line and Quin’s roof ride. This spot is right by a secure military zone, so we wanted the parking lot to be as empty as possible to avoid potential narcs.
14:38 - Spot is ready, and Darrell and Kennedi start boarding.
15:24 - Darrell wanted to gap out into a second, smaller transition, but after a couple of attempts it’s not working. I tap in to session with Kennedi, and we get a couple of fun clips.
16:45 - With more cars gone from the parking lot, this wallride that we had set up earlier in the trip was able to be hit. Despite the sun going down, it was our last day, so we got it going. If it was up to me, I wouldn’t have hit it at night, but beggars can’t be choosers.
17:30 - I put up a couple of backside wallrides in the darkness to wrap up the last spot of the trip.
18:15 - The last supper.
19:45 - Get back home, pack up our stuff, and get ready to dip the following morning.
February 8th, 2024
07:45 - Leave to the airport where Kennedi, Mike, Darrell and I head back to our respective homes. We say goodbye to Quin and Liam, who are staying to meet up with the Paid Programming guys to continue the time on the East Coast. We all left feeling pretty damn proud of what we managed to accomplish in such a short time.
