Tofino

The Inn at Tough City - a great spot for sushi and Asahi beer



Sea Shanty restaurant


Tofino Sea Kayaking - preparing for trip





Beach launch for Tofino Sea Kayaking



View of Meare's Island across the harbour


Attending the Whistler CPA Congress was a great opportunity to attend scientic sessions and our AGMs.Since there is significant travel involved, I originally thought I should take a few extra days of annual leave and kayak somewhere on the Pacific Ocean. I was traveling with as little gear as possible so needed to link with an outfitting company that provided tours and all the gear. I chose the Tofino Kayaking Company which also operates the Paddler's Inn. So I was able to stay at the Inn(coffee and breakfast) and walk downstairs for the kayaking tours. Gourmet packed lunches were prepared for the kayak trips and this was a great bonus since between arrival and the 0800 hrs departure I had no time to find food/snacks. Before and after I took advantage of the coffee bar, deck and the book shelves at the Inn.
Post kayaking dinner times I spent at the Inn at Tough City where I had bowls of rice, sushi and asahi beer. The sushi rolls used local Dungeness crab pulled out the harbour just 200 feet from the restaurant.
I did underestimate the amount of time and the connections needed to get from Whistler to Tofino. But it was worth it. In fact, time was so tight I had to take a Piper Navahoe flight with Orca Airlines in order to connect with my AC flight home. I was a little concerned about the fog the night before, but when it came to flight time it was clear and sunny - it turned out to be the best weather day of my trip in BC. The shuttle drive to the Long Beach airport drove past McKenzie Beach and Cox Bay and this gave us a great view and perspective on why surfing is so popular in this part of the island. Orca Air was a great company - helpful staff from booking, checking in, to the pilots. The flight from Tofino to Vancouver Airport was quite incredible - but you have to make sure you give yourself time, I think I was lucky. Tofino is quite often locked in with fog through July and August and flights can be delayed. Plus, Orca Air flights land at the south terminal, which is quite a distance from the main terminal. On landing there is a bit of a walk to the terminal and then a taxi or free shuttle(15 minutes) which lets passengers off at arrival level of the main terminal.