Tales From The Anti-Adventurist: Vanessa Flies With Santa Claus

I thought I was ready to fly with Santa Claus - but was I? The plane was small - and the naughty list loomed large! 

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Preparing to fly with Santa, I had a bit of anticipation

Every writer dreams of an exclusive celebrity scoop and I got one to top them all: Santa Claus! Not only did the head elf himself give me the inside scoop on what he loves about Ottawa but I also got to spend some time with him in his very own plane. That's right - Santa doesn't just fly a sleigh but he also offers 15 minute aerial tours of downtown Ottawa in a vintage Cessna 172 in conjunction with Ottawa Aviation Adventures as part of a program in support of the Ottawa Food Bank.

There was just one tiny complication. The plane is tiny. Santa is all-knowing. And I'm a big ol' scarde-y cat. An Anti-Adventurist, if you will. Would my notorious stomach hold up in a vintage aircraft? Would my nerve hold up if Santa started grilling me about whether I was naughty or nice?

Getting ready to board!

Thankfully, I didn't need to worry about the later. Past discretions were not mentioned at all (see, Ryan, I told you there would be no day of judgement for me regarding stolen potato chips!) and Santa diplomatically refused to confirm or deny anyone's spot on the naughty list. As for my tricky tummy....

It's a cozy fit!

... I am happy to report that I did just fine! I must admit to having a bit of a moment as we raced down the Rockcliffe Airport runway for takeoff. What, exactly, had possessed me to climb into a tiny aircraft on a cold winter's day? I mean, do we even have any conclusive proof that Santa can actually fly a sleigh? For all we know, it's the reindeer who are doing all the work.

Thankfully, Santa demonstrated expert skills and the takeoff and flight were extremely smooth. I had a minute of worry when my glasses fogged up (thank you, COVID-19 masks and winter weather.....) If I couldn't see out the window, we would all be in for a rough flight. Thankfully, I was able to clean them off with my scarf and could enjoy the views below. Crisis averted!

Up in the air, with the runaway just in front of us.

Santa gave me the inside scoop on some of the things he appreciated about the city, telling me he loved all of Ottawa's hiking trails and, in the air, really enjoyed seeing both the Rideau Falls and Chaudière Falls from above. I concur with his opinion. The views of the powerful Ottawa River were incredible and we had an excellent vantage point of the many hiking and biking trails around the Rockcliffe Parkway.

Downtown Ottawa and Gatineau, separated by the Ottawa River.

As we learned first hand from a prior helicopter tour of the city, Ottawa looks and feels dramatically different from what you might expect when you see it from the air. I'm always astonished at just how much nature, green space, and waterways we have in the city. This time round, I was also struck by just how close all of downtown is to the Canadian Parliament buildings and Supreme Court. There's nothing more than a regular city street separating these power institutions from the rest of the city and it was poignant to reflect on just how accessible they were.

Parliament Hill, with the Supreme Court off to the right, as seen from above.

As we turned around to head back to the Rockcliffe Airport, I had a final moment of timidness in true Anti-Adventurist style. Coming in for landing, we were descending over the Ottawa River. The cold, dark Ottawa River, the flimsy patches of yellowish ice floating along the banks like lily pads. Uh, Santa, you better know what you're doing! I don't think this plane is gonna float! But, of course, the landing was just as smooth as takeoff. 

Santa makes his way back to his temporary workshop at the Canadian Aviation and Space Museum.

Santa answered a few more questions for me (and put to rest the question of whether or not he's Canadian - he confirms that he is indeed a Canadian citizen!) and elaborated on his aviation experience (as it so happens, the Cessna is also used for reindeer training). I shimmied out of his plane as gracefully as I had entered (which is to say, not gracefully at all....) In a flash, Santa was gone. We caught a final glimpse of him walking towards the Canadian Aviation and Space Museum and then it was like he had never been there at all.

If you want your own one-on-one time with Santa or need a creative gift for the proverbial "Secret Santa", flights start at $38 per person (for three) or $48 per person (for two) (Book here). Kids will love it - and my fellow Anti-Adventurists will find this to be the perfect micro-adventure to close out their year. 

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Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good flight.


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