Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. man paddles giant pumpkin 23 kilometres down river

A Sault Ste.Marie, Ont. man paddled 23 kilometres in a giant pumpkin down the St. Marys River in an attempt to beat a world record.

When Brent Rouble started to research giant pumpkins, he learned there was a world record for paddling a pumpkin boat the longest distance possible.

"I thought it was hilarious," Rouble said.

"So I think I just told myself in my head, 'Hey Brent, if you can grow a giant pumpkin big enough to sit in and paddle, you're attempting this record.'"

This year he managed to grow an 897-pound pumpkin that also happened to be the perfect shape for a boat.

On Sunday, Oct. 15 Rouble brought it to the city's Bellevue Marina and hopped into the hollowed out gourd with a paddle in hand.

But he would have his work cut out to beat the world record. The week prior, a Missouri man named Steve Kueny paddled his 1,208-pumpkin boat called Huckleberry around 61 kilometres down the Missouri River. 

Rouble thought he had a chance to take his pumpkin boat, he called Maverick, even further, but learned he needed some cooperation from the river to get there.

"I underestimated how important a fast flowing current and river was for giant pumpkin paddling," he said.

"Because these giant pumpkins, they don't paddle well."

The day he set out on the river, Rouble said there wasn't much of a current working in his favour. 

He said his average speed paddling, without a strong current, was just one kilometre per hour, according to his GPS.

He had to call it quits near Echo Bay, when it was clear it would not be possible to beat the record that day.

But Rouble said he was still glad he attempted the challenge.