It's been a wonderfully wild week on Longbeach in Tofino, on the westcoast of Vancouver Island. On Tuesday Shannon and I, headed out towards Sooke and Portrenfrew, which is the end of the highway along the south west coast and the beginning of the west coast trail. We gassed up at a marina in port Renfrew and headed out on the logging roads north. Across into lake Cowachin for a night in an old logging camp, the type of lake a lochness would love to love in.
Then up out to see Nitinat sound (these are real bad roads and now i think i need new shocks and a tie rod) this is where everyone whose into kite surfing goes. From here it was north to Port Alberni and on to Tofino.
This is a beautiful place and a nice little town but it's a tourist trap too. Ucluelet is great with an active fishing village and community. When we got there no campsites were available we finally found a walk in site but they wanted $60 for a night! we talked them down to 40, and later found cheaper walk-in deals when sites opened up at Greenpoint provincial park (first come first serve).about $17 a night but no shower. So I was a salty dawg for about 4 days.
We nosed around the towns and had guided nature walks in the rain forest, but the most fun was the Beach. Everyone who comes here has to come for the Beaches and the surf. Huge wide sandy beaches that go on forever. Beachcombers keep your pants on. Tide pools and sea life all over. Morning fog (in fogust as they call it here) clears to warm sun and ocean breezes. For 8 a day you can rent a Boogie board from the peoples drug mart in tofino and a wet suit from long beach surf shop $15 (you need a wetsuit cause the water is cold). You can hit the waves (best at high tide) with no experience and have the most fun of your life getting your ass pounded by waves. I was really sore the next day but got back out there.
We picked up at least 7 hitchhikers mostly young travelers trying to get to beaches, all nice people, and Patrick and ukee from quebec who came out wave surfing one morning with us.
We met a crazy hippie named Claude Robert who goes to the Tofino sat. Market with his van and giant dream catchers to put out his wild vibe. He strangely doesn't sell these but charges tourists $1 to take a picture of him. He'll chase you down across a parking lot. No Jokes. I gave him some money to get a new fuel pump for the dream machine. We also saw a live folk show Jeremy Walsh on Saturday night.
On the way home we stopped at Cathedral grove to take in the big old growth (see photos on flickr) Now shannon is leaving for the east and i am getting the van worked on (new tie rod and shocks) to keep her going.
p.s. - no more logging roads
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