Imagine you’re a New Brunswick resident, living in a quiet neighborhood on the Canadian side of the St. Croix River. One day, you spot a young man, soaked to the bone and carrying his boots, walking toward town. What do you do? Call the Mounties, of course!
That’s exactly what someone did when they saw 25-year-old John Bennett making his soggy trek inland. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police showed up and questioned him—and the truth eventually floated to the surface.
First, Bennett told a heroic tale. He claimed he had to reach his pregnant Canadian girlfriend because she was in danger. According to Bennett, she was being “threatened by an ex-boyfriend.” But, as authorities later said, that part of the story “hasn’t been confirmed by the other party.”
Still, Bennett was determined to play the hero. He tried crossing at the official border station in Calais, Maine, but things didn’t go as planned. Customs officers denied him entry because he had some unresolved “mischief” charges back in the U.S. Now, “mischief” might sound like something out of a kid’s school suspension, but let’s face it—Bennett seems prone to it.
Instead of giving up, Bennett went straight to Walmart. Did he grab a boat? Nope. Bennett bought an air mattress. Maybe he was short on cash. Maybe he was in a hurry. Either way, it’s safe to say he wasn’t planning on keeping his vessel.
Next, Bennett inflated his new ride, grabbed a wooden board to use as a paddle, and set sail. Was it a bold plan? Sure. Was it a good plan? Not so much. But the kicker is that Bennett made it all the way to Canada. Sure, it wasn’t a long crossing. But it still can’t have been easy.
He managed to drift across the St. Croix River before landing near Ledge Road, just southeast of St. Stephen, New Brunswick. That’s when a local spotted him “wet and carrying his boots … [and] walking towards the town.” And that’s when the Mounties reeled in their big catch.
When he appeared in court, Bennett pleaded guilty to illegal entry. He admitted customs officers had told him he wouldn’t be “admitted into Canada” until he dealt with his U.S. charges. But instead of clearing his record, he decided to paddle into international waters on a Walmart air mattress.
In sentencing, the judge couldn’t resist cracking a joke. “Pardon the pun, but it seems to me you wanted to get there, come hell or high water.”
Bennett got two months in jail for his trouble. As for his girlfriend? Her situation—and whether Bennett’s stunt was chivalrous or just plain ridiculous—remains a mystery.
Up a creek without a paddle? Or a canoe? Turns out, all you need is a board and an air mattress.
