West Coast Winter Wonderland

Raph Bruhwiler catches an Island wave.
Photo credit: www.jeremykoreski.com

Where does your mind travel to when scuba diving or surfing are mentioned? Someplace with palms swaying in the breeze and the perfect turquoise wave curling onto a white sand beach? Well get over it! This is Vancouver Island... it’s Winter and it is time for some of the best dive and surfing experiences to be had anywhere.

The water is gray and cold – no frolicking in your board shorts today. Air and surface water temps average from 3-10º C (37-50º F). We do get snow, this is Canada after all, but the underlying water temp stays an average of 10 degrees Celsius/ 50 degrees Fahrenheit year round. Those who venture into the waters off our coast will be treated to the adventure of a lifetime that will both challenge and inspire. Yeah, it’s not for the faint of heart, but there are always those bragging rights you get as you thaw out afterward.

Island winters brings some of the best conditions for both of these thrilling sports, while advances in technology are making this cold water world even more accessible and enjoyable. For divers that means slipping into a drysuit and surfers will need to don the latest in neoprene wetsuits complete with hood, gloves and boots. The right gear and an experienced guide would be a crucial recommendation, as local knowledge and expertise will increase both the safety and the success of your adventure. “Diving here in the winter is the best for consistent great visibility”, notes Elly Pendleton (see photo) of Rockfish Divers at the Marina & Eco-Adventure Centre at the Brentwood Bay Lodge & Spa. “It may be chilly outside but once you’re exploring under the water it’s great. If you do get cold then the tea, treats and heated cabin are perfect for your surface interval!”

Diving conditions off Vancouver Island can be difficult and not for the diver whose experience is limited to an afternoon’s instruction at a tropical resort. This is real diving and those who brave the chilly waters and sometimes strong currents are rewarded with unparalleled diversity in both terrain and marine life, a product of the life giving nutrient dense waters of the north Pacific. Life abounds here, the water itself teems with microscopic organisms, the rock faces and ocean floor reveal layer upon layer of wildly creative aquatic life forms. Anemones, urchins, corals and starfish in every colour, sunfish, basketstars, hermit crabs, magnificent forests of waving bull kelp, rockfish, lingcod, sinister looking but surprisingly friendly wolf eels, orca, sealions, playful seals, white sided dolphins, giant Pacific octopus and even the elusive six-gill shark can be seen. By comparison tropical waters though warm & beautiful, appear oddly empty.

Wild, isolated and with as little sign of human development as you are likely to see anywhere, on Vancouver Island winter divers and surfers are virtually alone surrounded by a world compellingly primal and untamed and while the diving set checks out the ocean depths, the wave riders above scan darkening skies, gauging the tides and storm surge for winter swells that bring their own brand of nirvana. This is not the Surfin’ Safari of Beach Boys fame. Here the cold air and winter winds can break your resolve. It is cold, damn cold, but again the bragging rights are monumental. Hey, even your granny can catch a ride in California – surfing Vancouver Island in Winter is hardcore... you gotta really want to be out there!

As with the diving, local knowledge is key. The coast here is a series of coves and beaches stretching for miles, each one with its own quirks, and the constantly changing weather brings shifts in wind direction, speed, currents and air & water surface temperatures. You need to be able to read the swells and know when and where to make the move. Do your homework, contact local surf shops, and prepare to watch and learn.

And if you have any questions about what it takes to make it on these waves, buy (beg, borrow or rent) a copy of 49 Degrees, a documentary exploring the Island’s westcoast surfing community back to its roots over thirty years ago (check out a clip at www.surfermag.com). Or wrap yourself in a warm blanket and watch Jeremy Koreski’s latest, shrink, which pretty much sums up what happens when you hit these very cool westcoast waves.

A few links to help with your Quest for Winter Water Fun...

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Yes, the weather outside can be frightful and for the storm lovers that flock to the Pacific Northwest to experience Mother Nature at her most ferocious and magnificent, Vancouver Island provides both spectacular storms and sublime shelter from them. Storm watching, a tourism catch phrase attributed to Charles McDiarmid, owner of the Wickaninnish Inn on Vancouver Island’s wild west coast, can be enjoyed as a active participant or grateful bystander.

For those who wish to feel the rain & wind, to hear the thunder of the crashing waves, there are safe, but thrilling vantage points from which to do so. From a casual walk in the rain on your own, or with a hand to hold, to Bill McIntyre’s fascinating narrated tour as you steady yourself against a salt tinged gale along Ucluelet’s Wild Pacific Trail, Vancouver Island is a storm lover’s paradise. This where you truly experience the West Coast and can appreciate the strength and perseverance of the natural world. Some favourite spots to watch as storms unfold include: Radar Hill in Pacific Rim National Park, Ogden Point and the trail along the bluffs in Beacon Hill Park in Victoria, as well as any oceanfront Provincial or regional park where you can walk along the foreshore, sit on a park bench or take it all in from the warmth of your vehicle as you sip a take-out cappuccino. Wherever you choose to ride out the storm ensure that you are dressed like a duck (in warm & appropriately waterproof gear), that you heed any posted signs regarding weather & tides and that you never venture off marked paths onto slippery rocks & logs.

Pampering at any time is pleasurable, but there is a heightened sense of delight during storm season, so for those who prefer to maintain storm observer status only, the warm & luxurious shelter of our many island spa resorts provides a poignant counterpoint to the wild abandon out-of-doors. The fiercest displays of winter occur on the west coast of the Island and perched on a rocky outcrop between verdant temperate rain forest and the crashing waves of the Pacific Ocean, the Wick’s Ancient Cedars Spa is the ideal place to savour the contrast for yourself with their Sacred Sea or Kahi Loa treatments. Or perhaps after a strenuous afternoon of kayaking or exploring the funky shops of Ucluelet , a Pacific Coast Clay Body Mask to warm and soothe you at the Rainforest Spa at Tauca Lea Resort would be in order.

From one end of Vancouver Island to the other, the spa experience continues for Island visitors... from a Sea Salt Manicure at the Chateau Victoria and an Ocean Stone Massage at the Ocean Pointe Resort & Spa in Victoria to a Rose Decadence Facial at Susurrus Spa of Poet’s Cove on Pender Island or a cleansing BC Seaweed Scrub at Tigh-Na-Mara’s spacious Grotto Spa in Parksville. Following the Oceanside route north you will discover the Kingfisher Oceanside Resort & Spa near Courtenay, where a walk on the beach or along their Pacific Mist Hydropath will be equally therapeutic.

Day spas, massage therapists and wellness centres flourish throughout the Island and many of our smaller inns and B&B’s will be able to arrange some local pampering wherever you travel on Vancouver Island, where stormy weather is yet another reason to relax, embrace your inner duck & enjoy life.

Local links for Winter Relaxation...

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Bookworm Bonanza

A few treasured minutes while waiting to catch a flight destined for Victoria, Nanaimo or Comox; a peaceful hour to yourself as you sail aboard a BC Ferry; a luxurious afternoon propped up amidst down-filled pillows at an Island B&B, hotel or spa resort... there is always some Island time for book lovers. Bookworms will feel completely at home on Vancouver Island, in fact many of them make their homes here which explains why even the smallest Island community seems to have at least one bookstore where you can search for the latest best seller, rediscover a classic or uncover a rare volume.

Since Oprah’s outing of bibliophiles in 1996, bookworms no longer suffer with the stereotype of the meek, bespectacled and nerdish seeking to live vicariously through the words and lives of others real & imaginary. A love for books is now appreciated as a sign of an informed and engaged mind and a rich inner life. You will find books everywhere, from department & drugstores to chain outlets and the treasure for book lovers, the independent bookstore.

With their small intimate setting and book reverent atmosphere these bookstores cater to those for whom selecting a book is almost as wonderful an experience as actually reading it. Victoria alone has over 25 such shops, from the legendary Munro’s Books downtown on Government Street to a cluster of nine bookstores in nearby Sidney, Canada’s only official Booktown. Victoria is also home to Abe Books, the world’s largest online marketplace for books with the wares from over 13,000 booksellers available through its database.

We take our books seriously on Vancouver Island. Our libraries do a brisk business and the first items to go at weekend garage sales always seem to be the books and readers in communities throughout the Island are happy to support the endeavors of local booksellers. Spend an afternoon in Mulberry Bush Books in Qualicum Beach, the Curious Coho in Port Alberni or the Laughing Oyster in Courtenay – independent bookstores always seem to have the most interesting names – and you are sure to come away with one or more treasures. These small shops are also a great place to discover what’s happening in the community, with information & posters about local events such as concerts, plays or craft fairs as well as readings by local and international authors.

So if, horror of horrors, you forget your book at home or finish it while on Vancouver Island or if you just love books, take a moment to peruse the shelves of a local shop and you will find not only the bestsellers you could find at home, but also a fine selection of titles you may or may not be familiar with by Island authors. Explore travel guidebooks, coffee table pictorials, poetry, illustrated children’s books, fiction exploring both local & universal themes and nonfiction works providing insights into the flora & fauna, people, politics, history and culture of this area. Knowledgeable shop owners will be delighted to help you find just the right book to read while you are here or to take home to enjoy as a reminder of your Island time. On an island rich in stories and inspiration, a bookworm will find true contentment.

Some Island Bookstores

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Westcoast Palate

Stormy weather calls out for a warm fire, a glass of wine and something to nibble. This Hot Almond Crab Spread is the perfect fireside appetizer to take the chill away.

1 pkg cream cheese (250 g)
1.5 cups grated Gouda cheese
1/3 cup Miracle Whip or mayonaise
1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted
1 green onion, chopped
1 tin crabmeat (drain & reserve liquid)

Preheat oven to 350º F.
Blend all ingredients in food processor with enough of the reserved liquid for a smooth, spreadable consistency. Pour into an in an ovenproof bowl or pie plate and bake for 15 minutes or until heated through. Serve warm with crackers, toast points or baguette slices.

 

Direct To...Vancouver Island,
Victoria and the
Gulf Islands

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Previous Issues

Spring 2006
Summer 2006
Fall 2006

ON STAGE
Vancouver
Island Live...

Jan - Mar 2007

Bagger Theatre presents
THE LITTLE OLD MAN

Jan 13 at the Malaspina University Theatre, Nanaimo

Here on the Flight Path

Jan 11 – 27 (Preview: Jan 10)

Honour

Jan 16 – Feb 11 at the Belfry Theatre (with Prairie Theatre Exchange), Victoria

Urinetown, the Musical

Jan 24 – Feb 3 at the Malaspina University Theatre, Nanaimo

One-Man Star Wars Trilogy

Jan 25 – Feb 3 at the Phoenix Theatre, University of Victoria

Shoreline Musical Theatre

Feb 1 - 3 & 8 - 10

The Perfect Wife

Feb 1 – Mar 24 at the Chemainus Theatre, Chemainus

The Number 14

Feb 2

The Street of Crocodiles (formerly Cinnamon Shops)

Feb 6 – 17 at the Phoenix Theatre, University of Victoria

Ivanka Chews the Fat!

Feb 7 – 11 at the Port Theatre, Nanaimo

When We are Married

Feb 8 - 24, 2007 at the Village Theatre, Qualicum Beach

FIND 2007: Festival of Innovative & New Drama

Feb 8 – Mar 24 at the Phoenix Theatre, University of Victoria

Daphne

Feb 15, 17, 22 & 24 at the Royal Theatre, Victoria; presented by Pacific Opera Victoria

THE EMPEROR'S NEW THREADS

Feb 17 at the Malaspina University Theatre, Nanaimo
For families with children age 5 to 12 presented by Theatre One

Deadly Affairs

Feb 21 to Mar 10 at the Bailey Studio, Nanaimo

"Oliver" the Musical

Feb 21-25, Mar 1-4 by the Peninsula Players and Victoria Youth Musical Theatre Company at the Peninsula Players Community Theatre, Sidney

Skydive

Feb 27 – Mar 10 at the Belfry Theatre, Victoria

Power

Mar 1 – 10 at the Malaspina University Theatre, Nanaimo

Rivercity Players

Mar 1 - 3 & 8 - 10

Waiting in the Wings

Mar 1 – 17 at the Langham Court Theatre, Victoria

[storm]

Mar 13 – 17 at the Belfry Theatre, Victoria (a co-production with battery opera, Vancouver and Dance Victoria)

Crackpot

March 15 – March 27 at the Phoenix Theatre, University of Victoria

Dracula

Mar 26 – 27 at the Port Theatre, Nanaimo and Mar 30 – 31 at the Royal Theatre, Victoria; performanced by the Royal Winnipeg Ballet

Bigger Than Jesus

Mar 27 – Mar 31, 2007 at the Belfry Theatre, Victoria

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Vancouver Island
Events & Festivals

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islandMOMENTS Sponsors

• 
  Best Western Chemainus Festival Inn
• 
  Comfort Inn & Suites, Quality Resort
• 
  Marriott Victoria Inner Harbour
• 
  The Beaconsfield Inn
• 
  Sooke Harbour House
• 
  Tourism Nanaimo
• 
  Chemainus Theatre Festival
• 
  Long Beach Lodge

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