What to Expect When Hiking in a Rainforest. Part 3

 

Can It Get Any Wetter?  We Hope So.

The western side of Vancouver Island has been one of those places where we continue to ask ourselves “should we come back”?  Have we seen and done everything that the area has to offer and the answer continues to be there is always more to sea and do. So once again we find ourselves traveling to the small town of Tofino that anchors the northern end of the Pacific Rim National Park.

We were joined by Keegan and Vicky who had made plans to spend the Christmas break surfing. The waves that can be found on the Pacific Rim Park beaches are some of Canada’s best. We joined them on New Year’s Day for the final week of Christmas break.  We too would be surfing the beaches; not with boards but with our feet.

Besides the waves the views are none too shabby, especially during the stormy winter months. When the summer tourists flee, the storm watching tourists arrive along with the surfers. We sensed some tension between the surfers and the storm watchers. Parking is limited for some of the favourite beaches and can be at a premium when the waves are gnarly. The place we rented was within easy walking distance of some of the best beaches.  

I was watching the weather closely as our departure date drew closer. Living in the Okanagan Valley, if you want to go anywhere, the trip will most likely involve a mountain road. While reasonably ho-hum in the warmer months, they can be downright  treacherous in winter. Sadly the danger is not due to the weather but the idiots who are driving way to fast for the conditions. The upside of the continuing drought conditions in the Okanagan we were  provided with a warm and snow free drive to the coast.  

Please note I am writing this a few weeks after our trip and the drought has broken. As I write the snow has been falling non-stop for 10 hours. 

But it seems the rain forest had other ideas as it had moved on from its Level 5 drought condition from our visit last fall. Three days before we were to leave for Tofino, it had been raining so hard that it caused a small avalanche closing Highway 4, the only route into Tofino.  Not an uncommon event for Highway 4.  The highway crews were awesome and had the highway open the next day.

Photo: cbc.ca

 To cover for any potential weather related delays we decided to head to Island a few days early spending a night in Abbottsford with family and two nights in Nanaimo before meeting the kids in Tofino on New Years Day.  Nanaimo is a medium sized city with a population of 90,000 and is located about a 140 kilometres north of Victoria. Getting there involves a two hour ferry ride from Vancouver Tsawwassen terminal landing at the Duke Point terminal on Vancouver Island  with a short ride to downtown Nanaimo.

The next day, New Years Day dawned sunny and warm. We spent it wandering the 5.6 K out and back trail that winds its way along Nanaimo’s waterfront. 

Our big excitement was watching families crabbing off a public walking pier. They would fill the crab baskets with their own secret recipe for attracting a crab, and then tossed the basket as far as they could out into the ocean. It seemed like it was only a few minutes before they were hauling in the basket with a crab in it. They would quickly measure the crab it to see if they could keep it or if it was too small, return it to the ocean. Most went back in.  

 

It is a 205 kilometre drive to Tofino from Nanaimo and with a late check in time in Tofino we took advantage of a late check out, the free breakfast and some grocery shopping and did not hit the road till after lunch. We did take some time to hike some of the Rogers Creek Trail that can be found just outside Port Alberni. The weather was mixed between light rain, heavy downpours and periods of no rain. 

Highway 4 is a notorious mountain road and can be a difficult drive especially in inclement weather as reflected by the recent avalanche four days before our departure for Tofino. What would be a two and a half hour drive on a normal highway is a 3 1/2 hour drive for Highway 4 and had us arriving at our rental for the next 4 nights just in time to check in. 

Photo: vancouverisawesome.com

Tomorrow's forecast was to be a mixed bag of clouds with occasional rain but we would not be deterred from our hiking plans. As previously stated “We won’t melt”, so fueling up with a warm bowl of porridge, loaded up with brown sugar we headed out for some unfinished business.  On a previous trip (see blog of  April 2023 ) we had hiked a major portion of the Wild Pacific Trail but left some unfinished sections. Today our plan was to finish what we started.

This hike would take us to the Ancient Cedars and Rocky Bluffs sections of the trail located just north of downtown Ucluelet. The Ancient Cedars portion introduces you to some old growth Sitka spruce, western Hemlock and two giant red cedars estimated at over 800 years with one having a base measuring more than 12 metres.

The Rocky Bluff section is hilly hence the name so lots of uppy downy but the uppy provided some great views of the Pacific with the huge waves it sent crashing into the cliffs and rocky surge channels found along the way.  The weather cooperated and we got the mostly cloudy portion of today’s forecast.

The plan for the afternoon was to explore Chesterman Beach one of the best beaches to surf and located just a 10 minute walk from our cabin. The beach comes in two parts, Chesterman South and North. Due to the shape of the beach and an island that sits in the bay and separating the two beaches; the waves can be completely different on either side.  

We started our walk from South Beach side. The waves were definitely chunder (surfer speak for unsurfable waves) and only a few kooks (beginners) were attempting to surf.  The island can be reached by foot during low tide so we walked out to the island only to find that it was private property and posted with very large “keep off” signage. Continuing on to North Beach we found most of the surfers there as the waves were cranking (good waves). The forecasted occasional rain was starting to become frequent rain so we headed home.

The next days forecast was for cloudy with periods of rain. In weather speak there is no difference between “occasional” and “periods” of rain, they both mean that there is an 80% chance of rain. The rain could last for five minutes or five hours. We woke to a cloudy and misty day.

We joined the kids and with our grandpuppy Soda went for a gambol on Chesterman beach where he could burn off a little energy chasing other dogs and seagulls. Back to our lodgings where we packed ourselves a lunch and headed to Tofino where we would find the trailhead for the Tonquin Trail; a 6 kilometre out and back trail that would give us access to three different beaches. As we arrived at the trail head the “periods” of rain had begun. 

Oh, Oh, trouble in Tofino. Due to some safety work on the trail we found part of it closed but some interneting and a short drive we found another trail head that would get us to Tonquin Beach and access to the trail for the other two beaches.  It was still raining as we headed out. Seems we were in for an extended period of rain. 

We arrived to Tonquin Beach fairly quickly where we had hoped to have lunch but it was still raining so decided to soldier on to the second beach, not surprisingly named Second Beach then continued on the next beach. Surprise, surprise aptly named Third Beach.

Still raining, we decided to head directly back to the parking lot and eat our late lunch in the car. Arriving back at Tonqin Beach the rain had let up a little so we decided to explore the beach little before heading back to the car. The tide was starting to rise but it still allowed us access to a sea cave we found further up the beach. We could get out of the rain so we enjoyed a quick lunch as the rising tide would not make the cave accessible much longer. 

Heading home we stopped in at the Common Loaf for a mug of hot chocolate and some of their locally famous baked goods. Highly recommend if you are in Tofino. 

The Rainforest gave us some respite the next day. The sun made an appearance so we headed to Cox Bay Beach for a hike and lunch on the beach. The beach was only an extra five minute walk from our accommodations. The waves were definitely chunder today but there were still some kooks giving it their best. Watching them provided some fun entertainment as we comfortably sat on a piece of driftwood and enjoyed some lunch. Put the fine in “fine dining”. 

 

Lunch over we headed in to Tofino to pick up wine for dinner then back to our cabin to meet up with the kids. We were going to baby-sit Soda while they went out for sunset surf at Chesterman Beach. 

We decided to join them as I had a new telescopic lens I gifted myself for Christmas and this was the perfect chance to try it out. As you can see from my pictures they did not turn out well. I was shooting directly into the sun and the camera did not like that.

While we waited on the beach the Rainforest made one last attempt to make sure we were well watered as we were hit by a short but heavy sun shower. 

Then it was back to the cabin for a hot tub and dinner.  A nice ending to our latest adventure.

 If you are wondering; yes we will be back.

 

Highway 4 did not disappoint as we headed home it was torrential rain as we left Tofino and then a blizzard and foggy conditions as we drove over the Port Alberni Summit.  No avalanches but it was always topmost on my mind till we reached Port Alberni. We decided to delay our return to Penticton by a day due to forecast of heavy snow on all the mountain passes.  We spent the night in Vancouver and enjoyed dinner with drinks  on Commercial Drive joined by Nonie’s sister who lives in the area and knows all the best places. Best of all, a snow free drive through the passes to Penticton, the next day.