By their very nature, fireworks and kayaking are two things that are pretty hard to improve upon. Unless you combine the two, in which case the fun factor increases exponentially.

That’s exactly what Bougex, an outdoor activity organization based in Montreal, has in mind with its twice-weekly evening summer kayak excursions on the St. Lawrence River.

From the bobbing comfort of a kayak, clients have a front-wave seat for a half-hour of the finest pyrotechnics around during the Lotto Quebec International Fireworks Festival.

It’s a heck of a show.

Any kayak adventure with Bougex – which combines bouger l’exterieur, or “action outside” begins with a 45-minute land-based orientation at the Club Nautique de Longueuil on the ins and outs of kayaking.

Novices to the sport were shown the proper way to get into and out of the slender crafts to avoid tipping into the water. This was followed by a lesson on the most effective and efficient methods to paddle and steer.

For a time, the lawn in front of the Club Nautique resembled an odd-looking wind farm as 60 adults spun, twisted and otherwise handled their paddles while trying to avoid getting knocked senseless by the person on either side doing the same thing.

Obviously, kayaking is not without its risks – even on dry land.

Lessons complete, it was time to launch our crafts. Ever so slowly, we carried our kayaks to the boat ramp where Bougex guides waited to assist in the launching. The guides were easy to spot – they were the ones who knew what they were doing.

Soon the small marina looked like a re-enactment of the D-Day landing at Normandy as our kayak armada weaved its way between the larger pleasure craft docked there.

Our guides immediately directed us to a nearby sheltered bay where we could practice those paddling techniques that seemed so easy on terra firma.

The practice session quickly turned into a kind of aquatic version of bumper cars as kayaks rammed into each other despite the paddlers’ best efforts to hold a steady course.

Shouts of “Excuse me” and “Pardonnez-moi” filled the bay, each preceded by the solid “thunk” of two or more kayaks hitting into each other.

It took a bit of time, but eventually we got the hang of things, after a fashion. Then we were led several kilometers downriver on a leisurely paddle that did a remarkable job of working up an appetite.

Luckily, the folks at Bougex were prepared. Two Zodiac boats had accompanied our group and for a time one served as a floating chuck wagon, handing out box suppers to hungry kayakers.

It was dark when we finished our picnic on the water and time to head back toward the city for the fireworks display.

As the Zodiacs cruised alongside, keeping us herded into a group and out of the international shipping lane, our kayaks skimmed over the water, each visible by the green or red lights fastened to the bow.

At the designated viewing spot we stopped and waited. And waited. Finally, a few bursts of fireworks lit up the sky, only to be followed by an extended time of nothing.

Apparently, some sort of glitch delayed the start of Canada’s national entry, but once it did get going, it was more than worth the wait.

Accompanied by music and the thudding din of the fireworks themselves, the Montreal sky was soon a sea of reds, golds, blues, greens and silvers as volley after volley burst overhead.

From our low vantage point on the river, we had an exceptional view, complemented by the reflection of the lights on the water.

There was, however, one inherent danger. We were so preoccupied with the display, it was easy to drift toward the lane used by large freighters and cargo ships.

But the ever-vigilant crew from Bougex was there to gently guide us back toward safer waters.

All too soon the display ended with a crescendo of sound and color. Then it was time to point our kayaks back to the marina and head for shore.

Alexandre Guillaume, founder of Bougex, likes to refer to his organization as the outdoor Yellow Pages.

“Bougex is a crazy dream started in 2001 with a bunch of friends for a bunch of friends,” Guillaume said. “Our mission is to get people moving outdoors and help them get the most out of life by giving them the tools to beat couch-potato trends.”

Making use of the Web, what Bougex does is connect people who are interested in outdoor activities by working in collaboration with dozens of independent outfitters.

Among those activities are hiking, downhill skiing, sea kayaking, horseback riding, canoeing, cycling, sailing, rock climbing, snowshoeing, parachuting, cross-country skiing, paraskiing, camping, surf kiting, archery and tree sports.

Close to 90,000 members of Bougex receive weekly bulletins outlining trips and activities around Canada. Its Web site, www.Bougex.com, logs 80,000 visitors a month.

“It’s a great way for tourists to meet real local people from Quebec,” Guillaume said of his company. “Ninety-five percent of our customers are local [and] most speak English, so when you are out in the field, it’s not a problem.”

After spending about four hours in the company of all those Bougex clients, I have to agree with him. There’s something about enjoying the outdoors with fellow enthusiasts that creates an easy camaraderie among strangers.

That and repeated on-the-water collisions.