From Sea to Sky 2

At the Edge of the World

The winding, scenic drive from Victoria to Tofino takes me about six hours, but that includes a lunch break in the quirky village of Coombs (where goats graze on the grassy roof of the general store, and visitors can browse the indoor cases for the day’s fresh selections of savories), and a stop for a hike through Cathedral Grove, one of Canada’s most spectacular old-growth forests. We pull right off the main road and park beneath the trees, where entrances lead beneath the canopy. Thick moss blankets the paths and the long roots reaching out from the base of the giant trees. This rare ecosystem includes Douglas fir, western red cedar, and western hemlock, with the oldest trees dating back 800 years.

A few hours further along Highway 4, I make the turn onto the road leading to Tofino, passing through the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. The Wickaninnish, or The Wick, as the resort is known, sits on a dramatic outcropping of coastal cliff, with the sea sweeping around the feet of the rocks below. Rugged elegance defines each of the seventy-five guest rooms and suites, all of which provide views of either the beach or ocean. My room is large and comfortable, with a cozy fireplace and seating area, and a high-tech cappuccino maker in the cabinet bar. I make tea instead and head out to my balcony where I can sit and watch the waves swirl in and out of the rocks.

Local art fills the guest rooms and common areas, including handmade, one-of-a-kind driftwood chairs by BC artisan Maxwell Newhouse. There are groves of old-growth cedars here, and the property owners have remained adamant about incorporating all buildings gracefully into the existing landscape. The inn’s founder, Dr. Howard McDiarmid, was also one of the visionaries who established the Reserve. McDiarmid understood the importance of both preservation and conservation, and the McDiarmid family still operates with those principles in mind.

A sunrise walk along Chesterman Beach reveals the driftwood to be nearly as interesting as the horde of surfers in head-to-toe wetsuits braving the rocky coast and chilly water. Later, I make my way upstairs beside the spa area to the yoga studio. There’s a cheerful fire in the grate, and more views of the sea. Yoga instructor Natalie Rousseau leads me through an hour of restorative poses, and we finish on the floor, lying on our backs and gazing up at the artwork covering the ceiling, composed of a network of branches and driftwood.

The next morning, I head downstairs to the Ancient Cedars Spa and the steam bath, infused with eucalyptus and wintergreen. After fifteen minutes, I change into my robe and bypass the indoor lounge for the seating area outside beside the water. My therapist, Amanda, finds me tucked into an alcove away from the wind, with a warm blanket wrapped around my legs. The metronome of waves washing across the nearby rocks has nearly lulled me to sleep, but Amanda brings me back to full awareness with a warm foot soak. Inside, she delivers a Lomi Lomi massage, chanting in Hawaiian and using a combination of skilled hands and Aveda oils to relax and transport me. She smiles when I ask her about the inclusion of a traditional Hawaiian therapy on the menu and reminds me that Victoria is also an island located along the Pacific Rim, explaining that the Hawaiian traditions are powerful healing techniques that the spa feels strongly about offering to guests.

After a delicious meal of delicately poached halibut in a carrot broth infusion at The Pointe, I check out of The Wick and begin the three-hour drive from Tofino to the ferry at Departure Bay. Once we make port at Horseshoe Bay, I transfer to a second boat, bound for Langdale on the Sunshine Coast, heading for Halfmoon Bay and Rockwater Secret Cove Resort.

Seaside Safari

If my bed were any closer to the ocean, I’d be swimming rather than sitting propped among a collection of large, cushy pillows. My suite at Rockwater – though suspended over the Pacific on a wide platform – has every comfort I might desire, from a deluxe soaking tub with color therapy option, to heated slate floors, gas fireplace, Japanese shoji screens, and a sumptuous bed looking out over the sea. Not too bad, considering this is technically a tent.

The cries of sea birds function as my morning wake-up call, and I follow a long, elevated wooden walkway back through the trees to the main building for fruit, toast, and tea. Besides the collection of tents suspended at various points along the boardwalk between the Arbutus trees overlooking Secret Cove, there are also rooms available in the main building, and several private cabins.

I wander back to my tent, spreading a blanket on the wide deck for a little morning yoga. While I’m practicing my pranayama, a sea lion pops its head up in the water beyond the deck rail. He regards me solemnly, then turns and dives back below the surface. I’m tempted to stick around to see if there might be a return visit, but have an appointment for a massage back at the main building.

Proof that size really doesn’t matter, the small Spa Without Walls delivers big on quality. Featuring Hungary’s organic product line, Eminence, the menu includes Thai massage, facials, manicures, pedicures, and massages. I choose the signature Rockwater Massage and am led outside and down a series of stairs to a platform with a beachside tent. My therapist delivers a comprehensive and relaxing therapy with holly oil while I listen to the sound of water, just a few feet away.

After dinner, I head for bed. During the night, the wind picks up, and the domed canvas of my tenthouse suite moves slightly, in rhythm with the elements. It’s as though I’m gently being rocked to sleep, and I wake fully rested and subdued. As the sun rises, the sea lion returns, checking, perhaps, to see if I’ve located any fish to leave behind during my packing. I wave and turn toward the wooden walkway through the trees – one journey leading to the next, taking the first steps toward home.

DETAILS

BC Ferries operate a huge fleet of comfortable boats of varying sizes – many equipped with full restaurants and coffee shops – between the mainland and the Gulf Islands. The system currently includes 39 vessels and 47 terminals. For routes, schedules, fares, and trip planning, contact BC Ferries at (250) 978-1267, www.bcferries.com. For detailed information on traveling throughout British Columbia, visit www.HelloBC.com.