8/7/2019 Tofino Weekender

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the getawayThe 125-kilometre-an-hour gales and 12-metre-high swells that routinely batterVancouver Islands west coast Octoberthrough March are the key culprits behind itsGraveyard o the Pacifc reputation. But sincethe early 1990s, the storms that sank morethan 200 ships be ore the turn o the centuryare now, remarkably, single-handedly power-ing the regions second most importantvisitor season. In act, thousands o souwester-clad bravehearts a year now pay top dollar tobe blown away, both literally and fguratively,by these big weather systems.

O course, part o the draw is the act thatthe 76-year-old ishing village o To ino islocated in a UNESCO biosphere reserve Nuu-chah-nulth First Nation territory orsome 10,000 years. In the 1960s, hippies anddra t dodgers gravitated to its spectacularLong Beach, drawn by the national parks

impressive albeit chilly year-round surfng. Tree hug-gers also helped put Tofno onthe map in the 80s and 90swith protests over logging inClayoquot Sound, environ-mental action that culminatedin government-sanctionedprotection o one third o the Clayoquots

orests an old-growth habitat shelteringbald eagles, wolves and black bears.

the hideawayNo more a closely guarded secret among thecognoscenti, Middle Beach Lodge just threeklicks west o Tofno provides wicker-and-

wood com ort, with two main lodges (at theheadlands and beachside) and cabins scat-tered throughout the orest (some with soak-er-tub-to-the-sea vistas and all stocked withluxuriant LOccitane en Provence toiletries).Slumber to the crashing o waves and awakento the aroma o resh-baked mu fns, Belgianwa les and air-trade co ee. Beyond yourbreak ast nook: neoprene-suited winter sur -ers bob like seals in the swells o MacKenzieBeach, as the rain drips rom the boughs o the Sitka spruce.i From $110 to $400 per night. 250-725-

2900; middlebeach.com

the inside trackBest breakers: South Beach, down-trail from theWickininnish Interpretive Centre.Tsunami watch101:Naturalist Bill McIntyres half-day interpretivetour (250-726-7099;oceansedge.bc.ca). Hippestlocal bistro: SOBOs (short for sophisticatedbohemian) killer sh-tacos and casual-chic clien-

tele (250-725-2341;sobo.ca).Coolestice-cream headache: Surf Sisterstwo-day, girls-only clinicsfor sur ngdiehards who refuse to migrate southfor winter (250-725-4456; surfsister.com).Best art buys: Himwitsa NativeArt Gallery for masks, jewellery andChristmas tree ornaments (250-725-

2017;himwitsa.com).Where the locals huddle: Common Loaf Bake Shop, over soup and cinna-mon buns.Repast with a view: The Pointe Res-taurant at the Wicks 240-degree views of Paci c

Rim swells (250-725-3100; wickinn.com).Primopampering: Ucluelets Tauca Lea Spas three-hourRainforest Tranquility package (250-726-4612;taucalearesort.com). Jennifer Patterson

week enders

tofino

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