A-Life BC Travel Blog

By Jacqueline Windh

For the creatures that live near the ocean shores, the rhythm of the tides is an important part of life. Just like the rising and setting of the sun, or the cycle of the seasons, the tides dictate what they do, and when, and how.

For humans here in Tofino and Ucluelet, this is no different: Paying attention to the tides (something that comes naturally once you have lived here a while) makes life easier.

By Jacqueline Windh

This past weekend marked the official opening of newly redesigned Kwisitis Visitor Centre.

The Kwisitis Visitor Centre is located within the Long Beach section of Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, about halfway between the communities of Tofino and Ucluelet. People who have been out to this part of the park before may know this building as the Wickaninnish Interpretive Centre.

By Jacqueline Windh

When most people think of canoes, they think “tippy.” Unless, of course, they’ve paddled a Nuu-chah-nulth dugout canoe.

I was lucky enough to be invited to paddle with the Martin family, who live near Tofino, from Nanaimo to Vancouver in a 10 m (34’) dugout a few years back.

Yes—that same crossing that many of you have travelled on BC Ferries? Well, we paddled it!

To my surprise, the canoe was so stable that we could walk around in it. As Joe Martin (the man who carved it) says: You could have a dance in it.

The stability is a result of the great weight of a dugout—the big ones weigh close to half a tonne—and also how that weight is distributed. 

Although it seems hard to believe right now, with all of the snow we have had in Tofino and Ucluelet this week, the Pacific treefrogs are about to emerge from hibernation and fill our puddles and ditches with song.

What awaits us is a chorus—months of ribbeting—so incessant that it has been known to drive some people to fill in their backyard ponds to make it stop!

But not me. I love it! The sound of the first frog in spring brings me such joy.

The frogs here on the west coast of Vancouver Island usually start to sing around the first week of March. Pacific treefrogs (Pseudacris regilla) are one of only two native frog species we have here on the island.

By Jacqueline Windh

A grassroots community effort has created one of the gems of the West Coast: Ucluelet’s Wild Pacific Trail.

This past weekend, another new section of the trail was inaugurated: a new half-kilometre section called the “Artist’s Loop,” which branches off from the main trail, with viewing platforms and benches perched over the steep rocky shoreline. 

Waves crash relentlessly on the gnarled outcrops below. The views out to the horizon are of the wide, open Pacific; somewhere off to the right lies Japan, and somewhere off to the left is Hawaii.

Looking for something fun to do with your kids while visiting Ucluelet? 

Check out the Ucluelet Aquarium and learn about Vancouver Island's diverse local marine life. 

All of the creatures at the aquarium are from local waters and are released back into the wild, minimizing the impact on the environment. 

Visitors are welcome to interact with the marine life, and knowledgeable staff are on hand to educate and inform you about local marine biology.

For more information, please visit the Ucluelet Aquarium's website.

Planning a trip to Vancouver Island's wild west coast? Be sure to take in a whale watching trip in Ucluelet, BC.

Learn about Vancouver Island's marine wildlife while watching them in action - keep your eyes open for seals, otters, sea lions, humpback whales and orcas!

Staying at Water's Edge? Explore Vancouver Island's west coast on the Wild Pacific Trail, a spectacular trail that curves around the rugged and rocky shoreline of the Ucluelet Peninsula with incredible views of the expansive Barclay Sound.

For more information, please visit the The Wild Pacific Trail's official website.

Could she be the next Ryder Hesjedal? Check out this A-Channel news clip of Team Aviawest's Annie Ewart training at the newly-opened Victoria Cycling Academy!

The Aviawest Cycling Society is a not-for-profit organization that has provided many young up-and-coming cyclists in Victoria such as Ewart with the financial support they need to develop their talents and become successful competitive cyclists.

For more information about Team Aviawest, please visit the Aviawest Cycling Society's website.

Have you visited Pacific Shores Resort & Spa yet?

Tucked away next to the peaceful waters of spectacular Craig Bay, Pacific Shores is ideally located for exploring 15 acres of incredible botanical gardens and magnificent woodland trails with panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean, mountains and forests.

Pacific Shores offers hotel suites and junior suites, as well as 1-, 2- and 3-bedroom vacation homes with full kitchens, fireplaces, private patios or balconies and Jacuzzi tubs.

Other resort amenities include an indoor ozonated pool, a 24-hour hot tub, fitness centre, complimentary kayaks and canoes and miles of pristine beach and ocean right outside your door.

Pacific Shores has everything you need for the perfect beach getaway!