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Hit the Surf

Canada may be a cold northern country, but Canadians can still live for the surf, philosophize about the rhythm of the ocean, and call each other “dude.” Tofino is not Malibu or Haleiwa, but then, Vancouver Island is not California or Hawaii. This laid-back yet booming surf town demands a commitment to the waves, not sun-bleached hair and bikinis. When you surf in a full-body wetsuit, all hipness dissipates.

Tofino sits on the wild west coast of Vancouver Island, battered by volatile weather that washes up debris along its long sandy beaches, shredding trees in the surrounding Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. Storm-watching is a popular pastime in the spring and fall, best enjoyed from the large picture windows of the Wickaninnish Inn, one of the finest hotels in the country. Tofino offers whale watching, hot springs, fantastic restaurants, and contemplative hikes in old-growth forest. For Canadians embracing surf culture, there’s no better place to be. Although the climate can be extreme, the surf community is unusually friendly. Visitors from southern surf towns enjoy the fact that territorial testosterone is kept to a minimum.

Guided by instructors from Surf Sister, one of the most popular surf schools in town, I enter the 10ºC water insulated from head to toe. Although waves can reach up to ten metres, today they're providing a gentle introduction to the art of riding them. Just several metres into the waters of Cox Bay, I sit on board and admire the unkempt beach cradled by a wind-battered forest. There are no bars, clothing stores, or hard bodies glistening in the sun. Instead of birds in bikinis, bald eagles soar overhead. It’s my first time on a surfboard, and while the waves may be timid, I still spend the afternoon wiping out, falling off my long board with the grace of a flying ostrich. When I do stand up, for just a moment, the heavens sing hallelujah and an eagle swoops by to give me a congratulatory wink. Maybe I’ve swallowed too much of the Pacific and I’m not thinking straight. What does it matter? Without the attitude or pushiness, ego or tan lines, surfing the wilderness of Vancouver Island keeps your soul warm just as surely as a wetsuit. Even if you don’t manage to get up.