UCLUELET & TOFINO, BC, CANADA

The drive to our campground at Tofino was on very narrow, hilly, curvy roads through many wooded areas along or close to the shoreline.  After having lunch in the trailer we headed out to see the Wickaninnish Inn.  It is consistently rated among the world’s best, and one of the very finest in North America.  The guest-to-staff ratio is one to one!  People come here during the winter months to ‘storm watch’ when howling winds, sheets of rain, and crashing 20-foot Pacific waves nearly engulf the inn.  We walked on Chesterman Beach and saw mussels, crabs and barnacles since it was low tide.  We also saw a small tidepool where Judy spotted a star fish.  Amazing! There are jagged rocks overlooking the Pacific around us and many beaches to enjoy watching the pounding surf.  We saw many surfers enjoying the area that is known as the ‘best’ place to surf in Canada.

Uclulet and Tofino are 25 miles apart with Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, Canada’s first marine park in the middle.  This is home of the West Coast Trail that is known as one of the most spectacular and challenging hikes on the continent.  From May through September intermediate and experienced hikers arrive from all over the world to follow the 47-mile track, which was initially designed as a rescue trail for shipwrecked sailors along the otherwise inaccessible coastline.  The five-to-seven day journey, which involves fording rivers, climbing cliffs, traversing rope bridges, and slogging along miles of wilderness beachfront, is for many the hike of a lifetime. NOT US!!!!!

At Ucluelet we hiked to the Amphitrite Lighthouse, the first square one we have ever seen.  As we walked back to the truck we saw a deer also enjoying a walk. We then drive around to look at many beautiful homes ones with gorgeous views of the Pacific splashing over the rocks.

The next day we drove to Tofino to go on a West Coast Aquatic Safari bear watching tour.  At 12:30 we took off in a 36 passenger aluminum catamaran.  Our captain took us to many, many, many shores looking for bears, but without any luck.  He said they have black coats and therefore don’t like to be in the sun since it makes them hot.  The search continued but there were none to be found.  We saw bald eagles, their nests, harbor seals sunbathing, and lots and lots of trees on large and small islands.  Final score: Dah Bears–5, Anxious Tourists-0.  Towards the end of our trip they announced the Feldmans had won the drawing for a $79 hoodie! Woo hoo! When we arrived back at the office Mike tried one on and said, because of the way the zipper was the jacket was for a lady…..so, guess who ended up with the hoodie!  Everyone on the boat was given a thermal cup since we didn’t see any bear.  What a nice way to treat customers!