I’ve been wanting to visit Tofino for years but it’s never quite worked out for me, so when Dave’s brother Sean mentioned a last minute half-cocked plan to go on Thanksgiving long weekend, I KIDNAPPED HIM! HelloyouhavetobemyfriendnowpleasecanwegotoTofino. We went to Tofino!

We caught the ferry from Horseshoe Bay and purchased crucial supplies in Nanaimo:

• nautical themed rum
• pineapple juice

———-everything below this line is optional———-

• veggie dogs
• the whitest, softest hot dog buns available
• ketchup (catsup?)
• avocado
• hummus
• corn chips
• chocolate

 

The drive to Tofino is glorious. I recommend creating a special playlist before you go – something acoustic, finger-pickin’ good. Or ask Joe to make one for you. Just make sure you download it before you leave because there is NO RECEPTION! Which is quite nice actually but inconvenient if you were planning on streaming music. D’oh! 

Green Point campsite is great – right on Long Beach and about a 20 minute drive to either Tofino or Ucluelet. We set up camperoonie and headed to the beach with rum and pineapple. I discovered kelp. I am mystified by kelp. What are you? Why have I never seen you before? Why do you look so angry? So many unanswered questions. 

 

We made nice with some other idiots stumbling around the beach in the dark, held lengthy conversations musically accompanied by some folksy guitar strummin’, swam (a questionable decision) and eventually headed back to camp. It started to rain and we spent a couple of entertaining hours trying to get a fire started with damp wood, no kindling and FAR TOO MANY opinions on the best way to build a fire. By the time we hit the sack there was a serious storm a-raging and I had lost my voice.

 

We survived the storm with zero casualties and an early breakfast put us back on the beach while the sun was still rising. The almost deserted beach, cloudy sky and heavy mist set a classic Pacific Northwest scene. You so moody BC! Every few minutes the light changed to reveal an even more stunning view. We walked up the beach, climbed some rocks, watched the tide come in and silently contemplated the mysteries of kelp.

After checking out the Roy Henry Vickers gallery in town we drove back to Nanaimo. We were concerned about wait times for the ferry so we scrapped plans to visit the best-tie-dye-on-the-island store and the old growth forest on the way back. Next time, Vancouver Island, next time.

Soundtrack: Ben Howard – Old Pine