Not even Santa Claus can sneak past the heightened border security of the United States, as a red-suited -- and red-faced -- John Fulton found out yesterday to his peril.

Mr. Fulton, 42, of Fonthill, Ont., has donned a Santa suit and surfed across the Niagara River at the Peace Bridge every Christmas for the past 18 years to raise awareness for the homeless. Usually, it's a cakewalk, capturing coverage each year by news reporters ranging from the British Broadcasting Corp. to CNN.

"Probably even the Martians are getting it," he said.

But yesterday, the winds were all wrong and the surfing Santa went astray. Mr. Fulton, who owns a chain of fitness centres in southern Ontario and who used to be a competitive wind-surfer, ended up on the U.S. side of the Niagara River in Tonawanda, N.Y.

He figured it wouldn't be such a big deal. He'd explain about his Santa-like philanthropic mission, the U.S. officials would chuckle a bit and send him home. Boy, was he wrong.

First the Coast Guard arrived to see how the wayward Santa had reached U.S. shores four days before Christmas.

Then the Buffalo police, whom he'd called himself in a bid to sort things out amicably, arrived. Finally, the grim-lipped U.S. border patrol -- on high alert since the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 -- came on the scene. That's when Mr. Fulton knew the surfing Santa gig was up.

They arrested Mr. Fulton, red nose, hypothermia and all, and charged him with entering the United States illegally.

"It was a great promotion for homeland security," said a rueful Mr. Fulton last night. "They had to send the message: 'We're not even letting Santa Claus across without the proper authorization.' "

Mr. Fulton signed a document admitting he had entered the United States illegally and was then given "the boot back to Canada."

Last night he was worried about whether he will ever be able to set foot in the United States again.

And he's not especially popular at home right now because he missed the family Christmas party in favour of explaining Santa's arrest to CNN's global viewers. In fact, he's had to promise to put the surfing Santa out to pasture. Instead, he said last night, next year he's going to inaugurate a Santa who surfs on the wind instead of the water. And who stays resolutely in Canadian airspace.