When you get an out-of-the-blue invite to a weekend on Vancouver Island’s west coast, what are you supposed to say? Normally, I would say no.
The idea of an unplanned trip with a group of people — some of whom I’ve never met — to a place that would take an entire day to get to did not seem attractive to me in the slightest. But, it was a coincidence that right before this text reached my inbox, I had promised myself I would tip-toe out of my comfort zone and expose myself to some new experiences before graduation — and being that it was the beginning of my fourth year at UBC, that time was closing in.
My nerves settled and anticipation grew as we boarded the ferry that would take us from Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo for the first leg of our journey to Tofino. Within the first 30 minutes onboard, we spotted a whale. The welcoming wave of its splashing tail on the salty water was all I needed to know I made the right decision to tag along on this adventure.
All I could see in every direction was BC’s beauty — the enormous mountains coated in a blanket of trees towered over our little boat as it guided us away from the coastline. The latter half of the commute was spent indulging in sweet treats as we attempted to identify the species of our new whale friend. A short hour and a half later we docked in Nanaimo.
After an exhausting drive filled with conversation that caught us up on each other’s summer expeditions, we arrived at our campsite — it was in the most perfect location, only a short walk away from a stunning beach in the heart of Tofino.
Tofino is located on the traditional land of the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation. Skilled fishermen, master carvers and talented artists have occupied the region for generations. Going on hikes around the campsite allowed me to find a deep appreciation for the land. There were many points on trails along the coast that shared histories of Tofino, educating visitors on its colonial past. The knowledge shared with our group reminded us to respect the land and follow its ‘leave no trace’ principles.
I’m grateful that my lovely companions were expert campers because if I’m being honest, after not camping for almost a decade, I had no idea what I was doing. I discovered in this process that pitching a tent and starting a fire are two things I do not recommend doing in the dark.
However, if you ever happen to be in that situation, take a moment to look up — you will see more stars than you could ever imagine in the sky.
That night, after the fire dwindled to its last ashy twigs and more s’mores were consumed than I’d like to admit, our group retreated to a sleep that was embraced by the twinkling lights of the night sky.
The next day, we decided to try our hand at surfing. After all, Tofino is world-renowned for its waves. Although I had been surfing only once in my life, it had been years and, unlike riding a bike, it is not something that sticks with you.
We rented boards and wetsuits from a quaint little surf shop and took to Long Beach. The sand sparkled like little crystals and spanned out for kilometres. Looking west toward the Pacific, all I could see was the ocean. It blended into an expanse of cloudy nothingness.
Filled with excitement at the potential of catching a wave, I ran to the water surrounded by friends and was immediately surprised by the sheer force of even the smallest waves.
There was a strange moment when I was engulfed in these waves where I could truly feel their strength. One by one they continued to crash around me and I realized how small I was in the vastness of this blue abyss. Despite the discouragement of the frigid, salty blows, I managed to catch some miniature waves that felt like huge victories.
That night I looked at the stars again, this time with my newfound friends. I was immersed with awe as I glanced around me, seeing nothing but twinkling. We were captivated by the magic taking place above us as we conversed about the constellations and the Milky Way.
Our conversation soon turned to topics we could not fully comprehend. We thought of how the stars see our blue planet and the potential of something out there pointing at us the same way we were pointing at them. The awe subsided and turned to graciousness as we went around naming our favourite memories of the weekend that resided behind us.
We finished our last evening cooking hotdogs over a fire. Despite the simplicity of that dinner and the small fire we cooked it over, everyone felt full — whether it was from the food or the fulfilment we sustained from our time away, I’m still unsure.
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