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Photos by Tsimka Martin and Emre Bosut
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Photos by Tsimka Martin and Emre Bosut
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Photos by Tsimka Martin and Emre Bosut
By Emre Bosut - Photos by Tsimka Martin and Emre Bosut
You begin by arriving at the end of the road. Hwy 4 will lead you to the end of the road on the west coast. Surrounded by open ocean, old growth rain forest and vast sand beaches; Tofino (traditional Tla-o-qui-aht territory) is already a well known spot. Beyond the whale watching tours, and surf lessons, there is a unique way to explore and experience the history and beauty of the area, by paddling! After all, paddling is not only the oldest form of transportation here in Tla-o-qui-aht territory (dating back over 5000 years) it’s a relaxing physical activity that anyone can do.
The canoe tours are a truly first-hand cultural experience like no other. This is the opportunity to join a Nuu-chah-nulth guide and paddle a real dugout cedar canoe while exploring the connection between traditional culture, old growth rain forest and the marine environment. Departing from downtown Tofino, T'ashii's Cultural Canoe Tours offer a 2-hour paddle among the islands in the harbour, or a 4-hour paddle and guided walk on Meares Island. The 24-foot sea-baring canoe fits up to six people. The canoe is part of the rich history that can be seen all around the area if you know where to look.
Master carver Joe Martin who recently received the BC Creative Achievement award in recognition of the traditions Joe has kept alive, carving canoes and totem poles, carved the dugout canoe. Paddling the canoe to Meares Island, you will experience the same old growth rainforest that the canoe came from. Easily recognizable in the picturesque backdrop of Tofino, Meares Island is not only home to one of the last remaining intact old growth ecosystems on Vancouver Island; it has played an important role in the recent history of First Nation rights and Environmental Conservation. In 1984 Tla-o-qui-aht were able to take a stand for their rights and stop MacMillan Bloedel (a multi-national logging company) from clear cutting the old growth forest on Meares Island through a granted land injunction. The event marked the beginning Tla-o-qui-aht Tribal Park, a grass roots Tla-o-qui-aht initiative to promote multi-generational sustainability in Tla-o-qui-aht territory.
The land injunction remains to this day, along with the 1000 year old red cedar trees showcased on the 1.2km boardwalk trail maintained by The Tribal Park. After paddling to Meares Island, your Nuu-chah-nulth guide will lead you through the rain forest, showing you the intricacies of traditional life here. There's even time to enjoy a lunch or snack in the quiet surroundings before paddling back to town. Surrounded by towering red cedars with lichens draped over their branches, it's hard to imagine it only took a short leisurely paddle to enter into another world.
Tla-o-qui-aht Tribal Park expands beyond Meares Island and Stand Up Paddleboarding (SUP) is a great way to learn a new skill and explore some of the lesser-known areas of the Tribal Park and the west coast.
T'ashii's Tofino SUP experience quickly takes you past the basics of stand up paddleboarding by focusing on a small group paddling experience with specialized gear in one of the calmest areas of Tla-o-qui-aht Tribal Park; Grice Bay. Grice Bay is located on the calm water inlets, protected from open ocean swell; it's a unique mudflat area that spans dozens of square kilometers. You may not think much of Grice Bay if you happen to stumble upon the area at low tide, just a vast stretch of sand and mud. But when the tide comes up, you'll find yourself floating just a couple feet over a unique marine environment. It's rare to run into anybody else here, other than the crabs crawling just below the surface and eagles flying overhead.
Explore up the grassy estuaries, stop for a snack and learn about what makes this area one very important stop for thousands of migrating shore birds every year. Immersed in this calm tucked away corner of the west coast you'll be surprised to realize how easy and relaxing it was to be standing on the water (on your board of course) throughout the whole experience.
T’ashii’s Tofino SUP experience doesn't end there. For paddlers looking to develop their skills in all the challenges that paddling on the west coast can provide, Tofino SUP offers paddleboard touring on the open coast and paddle surfing lessons. Being mobile with a van and trailer these specialty experiences can be catered to take advantage of the best paddling conditions and expectations of each group.
Next time you do follow Hwy 4 to the end of the road, remember that there's a verity of unique experiences waiting for you, and the way to get there is by paddling. T'ashii Paddle School is a small locally owned and run company with a big vision: To foster exploration, learning and adventure by creating a stronger connection to our natural environment. T'ashii is a Tla-o-qui-aht word meaning "path on land or on water". T'ashii Paddle School is the path to exploring the beauty of Tla-o-qui-aht Tribal Park through a variety of guided tours in two very unique and different crafts; dug-out cedar canoe, or on stand up paddle board. For more on T'ashii Paddle School check out www.tofinopaddle.com