The Arrival
A storm is coming, and watching it approach is nothing short of spectacular. From my window I see waves crashing and foaming, a symphony of sound and a view that makes it hard to look away. Jagged black rocks ascend towards a mass of towering trees, their branches whipped into a frenzy by the wind. In the distance are islands of rock and forest, and between them, tangled masses of bull kelp seaweed jumble among the whitecaps, hinting at the healthy marine ecosystem down below.
I’m in Tofino at the legendary Wickaninnish Inn, mesmerized by the unleashed fury of an incoming storm. This family-owned BC institution has made storm-watching a ‘must-do’ winter activity, equipping its rooms with waterproof raingear, umbrellas and boots designed for withstanding a stroll on Chesterman Beach in the harshest of winter weather.
Wickaninnish Inn_ — Photo by Braden Stanley
Inside the Wick
Wickaninnish Inn — Photo by Caitlin Ronda
ondly known as “The Wick,” the 75-room inn is sublimely luxurious but completely unpretentious. Peppered with exquisite art that reflects the wildlife and forests surrounding it, the inn is a quintessentially Northwest haven in its architecture, design and decor. And its many thoughtful extras set it head and shoulders above any other establishment, leaving guests with an enduringly positive impression.
Guests snack on items from the complimentary minibar, and when they head to the beach, grab a backpack from the closet, so their personal backpack doesn’t get full of sand. There’s a soda water dispenser on tap, refillable water bottles in the rooms, dog towels at the ready for four-legged friends, and books about Clayoquot Sound on the mantle, with extra blankets at the ready.
Taste of the Coast
On our first night we nibbled on lemongrass focaccia and black bread made with kelp at the Pointe Restaurant, the Inn’s signature eatery. The three-course menu, carefully paired with sommelier-curated wines, changes frequently, but ours featured salad with salmonberry vinaigrette, appetizers dotted with sea buckthorn berries, sablefish entrees and aerated chocolate with raspberry sorbet. The calibre of the meal was matched only by the setting: an oval-shaped restaurant whose large windows deliver a 240-degree view of the ocean. Checking in our meal, the general manager cautioned us to keep our eyes peeled. “I saw whales spouting earlier today,” he confided.
Scallops — Photo by Makito Inomata
Between Tide & Table
Wickaninnish Inn, The Pointe Restaurant — Photo by Jeremy Koreski
We fell asleep to thrashing wind and rain that night, but woke the next day to a calm stillness. Slipping into our warmest jackets, we clutched coffee and made a beeline for Chesterman Beach, to meet Brynne Sucharyna, owner of Tofino Foraging Tours. Over the next few hours she guided us through some of the edible delicacies of the intertidal zone and adjacent rainforest.
“The First Nations have a saying ”when the tide is out, the table is set, and it’s so true, because that’s when everything is at its freshest,” she said as we picked our way carefully towards the tidal pools. Harvesting popweed from the rocks and ribbons of bull kelp from the beach, she invited us to feel their texture. “You can dry, roast or smoke either of these seaweeds, and popweed especially makes a crispy snack with a salty flavor,” she noted.
We felt the contours of the purple Turkish Towel, a seaweed that’s great for skin exfoliation in the bathtub, and touched the soft greens of sea lettuce, a species easily plucked off the rocks and eaten raw or added to soups, salads or pastas.
In the fall, Sucharyna focuses her fall foraging excursions on mushrooms, easily gathered in Pacific Northwest forests populated by western hemlock, douglas fir and spruce trees. By the time we wrapped up we had a new perspective on the smorgasbord of nutrient-rich, healthy ingredients that can be easily foraged under the right conditions. That afternoon we borrowed cruiser bikes from the Inn and took a jaunt into town, an easy five kilometer ride. We spent a fun few hours exploring Tofino’s retailers, rubbing shoulders with locals as we browsed in books at Mermaid’s Tales and visited coffee shops, boutiques and galleries.
Hard Truths
The Tofino Clayoquot Heritage Museum, a modest, one-room museum, offered a sobering glimpse of the town’s history, before and after white settlers arrived. While there were stories of brave pioneers who endured great challenges in the early days, there was also information on the area’s two residential schools, which, as recently as 50 years ago, were still wrenching children from their families, changing the trajectory of First Nations’ lives for generations.
Wickaninnish Inn, Carving Shed — Photo by Jeremy Koreski
The Storm, Revisited
The rain was back by the time we returned to the Inn, making the steam cave, the spa’s wet sauna, an irresistible place to warm up. Afterwards, with tingling skin softened by the hot, moist heat, we sipped tea in the lounge, watching the raindrops pelter down and other guests venture back from long walks on Chesterman Beach. Promising ourselves we’d do the same tomorrow, we settled in, content to watch the wintry weather unfold inside, where, ensconced in our white gowns, we had front row seats to the storm.
If You Go:
Journey: Tofino is located at the end of Highway 4, three hour’s drive from Nanaimo and four-to-five hours from Victoria. Add a ferry trip from the mainland and getting here is easily a day-long commute. We opted for a seaplane instead, hopping on a Harbour Air flight at Vancouver’s downtown harbour. By seaplane the travel time is one hour over jaw-droppingly beautiful snowcapped mountains. Harbor Air offers seasonal flights between downtown Vancouver and Tofino April through October. Visit harbourair.com or call (800) 665-0212
Forage: To schedule a foraging tour, visit britecollective.ca/foraging
Sleep: For bookings at the Wickaninnish Inn visit wickinn.com or call (250) 721-3500.
Dine: The Pointe Restaurant (thepointerestaurant.ca) at the Wickaninnish Inn offers incredible three-course meals with wine pairings. Another not-to-miss eatery is Ombre Restaurant, in Tofino, where superb, Mediterranean-inspired dishes are infused with seasonal, local ingredients. ombrerestaurant.com