John “Super Dave” Munday

On October 5th 1985, a 48 year old mechanic named Jon Munday, from Caistor Centre, Ontario went over the Falls in a 1,000 lb. steel barrel and survived. The barrel was lined with aluminum separated by foam and contained video and radio equipment. He emerged relatively unscathed and was cheered on by onlookers and the media as he emerged from the barrel. Munday was fined $1,500.00 for this stunt. He made a second attempt on July 15, 1990 in a much lighter barrel. The barrel weighed only 394 lbs and it became stranded at the brink of the Falls and was eventually fished out. The Niagara Parks Commission fined him a further $4,375.00 for attempting to perform this illegal stunt.

On September 26, 1993 John “Super Dave” Munday would make a second trip over the Horseshoe Falls and would become the first person to go over the Falls twice. Once in the water the homemade barrel floated quickly to the brink and in a matter of only 5 seconds the barrel could be seen bobbing in the waters below. The barrel was towed to the Maid of the Mist dock by the vessel Little Maid. Munday emerged unharmed after having been confined to the barrel for over 45 minutes before being rescued. He was later fined $6,000.00 by the Niagara Parks Commission.