Amber Gibson, a journalist focused on travel and residing in Vancouver, recently journeyed back from the idyllic Vancouver Island, where the dazzling winter tempests offer a surprisingly amorous retreat. She shares her insights on exploring this unanticipated location.
Visiting Vancouver Island for tempest viewing holds appeal because…
The enormous tempests originating from the Pacific Ocean are utterly awe-inspiring. A vast expanse of ocean separates Vancouver Island from Japan, and annually, from November until March, colossal storms collide with the western coastlines, delivering 30-foot swells and hurricane-strength gales. On less windy days, daring surfers in wetsuits tackle the waves.
Since the 1990s, storm-viewing has been a sought-after off-season attraction on Vancouver Island’s west coast, initiated when hotelier Charles McDiarmid inaugurated the Wickaninnish Inn in Tofino, with all accommodations facing the aqueous expanse. (Fear not: all floor-to-ceiling windows are fitted with hurricane-resistant glass.)
During my visit to Vancouver Island, I resided in…
Port Renfrew, offering easier access than the more renowned storm-viewing locales of Tofino and Ucluelet. Being more affordable and less isolated than alternative sites, Port Renfrew is about two hours by vehicle from Nanaimo or Victoria, typical arrival points for travelers via ferry or aircraft. This location is perched on the ancestral territories of the Pacheedaht First Nation.
Driveways to Port Renfrew are surfaced, albeit full of curves and turns. The journey is picturesque – nonetheless, if you’re easily susceptible to motion discomfort, consider caution. I’d advise reaching there before dusk, as navigating these paths post-sundown can be challenging. At Wild Renfrew, I moved into a coastal vista studio alongside my partner, a Vancouver local familiar with the island’s fishing and tempest-watching scene since childhood. The self-service check-in process is highly convenient. The morning of our arrival, we were provided electronically with a door passcode, customer service timings, contacts, and a regional map.
The level of thrill desired in storm watching is a personal choice, with settings available both indoors and outdoors. We sampled both, uncovering a uniquely Canadian twist to hygge.
The romantic charm of tempest viewing on Vancouver Island is derived from the fact that…
While staying warm and dry indoors, you can gaze upon the tumultuous gusts and continual rainfall. We cherished the heated floors in our room, wrapped in soft bamboo robes, witnessing the dynamic gray storm unfolding outside. The experience of storm viewing is as lively or relaxed as you desire, and I found an immense sense of security nestling in my boyfriend’s comforting embrace despite the external tempest.
Our coastal studio was complemented with an open-air hot tub, which we thoroughly relished. The sensation of chill raindrops upon our faces whilst we warmly reclined with plastic wine glasses in hand was extraordinarily opulent, and
The brisk pure air rushing past resembled nature’s equivalent of a luxurious oxygen facial at a spa hotel. When our skin began to wrinkle, we leaped out and nestled into bed to discover a suspenseful film on Netflix.
For dining choices on Vancouver Island, our advice is…
Gathering snacks and dining at your lodging. Port Renfrew is quite isolated: you can’t conveniently order Uber Eats, and there are no outstanding store options nearby. Thus, I gathered supplies at Wild Poppy Market in Ladysmith and The Market Garden in Victoria along the drive. Vancouver Island boasts several superb cheesemakers, such as Cowichan Station Creamery, renowned for their Gruyère, excellently paired with Truffula’s sprouted seed and onion crispbread.
Regarding eateries, the town has just a few choices; Renfrew Pub is the optimal choice for seafood chowder, burgers, poutine, and fish-and-chip dishes made from local rock cod, complemented by 10 types of Vancouver Island craft brews on tap. When storms hit, ensure your room is well-provisioned, as venturing outside won’t be appealing.
Moreover, we visited Blue Grouse Estate Winery for a wine tasting before journeying to Port Renfrew, and its assortment of sparkling, red, white, and rosé wines contained something to suit every taste. Vancouver Island wines are exceptional, and you won’t encounter them back home in the States, so this is your chance to enjoy something both novel and delightful.
When you head to Vancouver Island, don’t forget to pack…
A raincoat and reliable rain boots or waterproof footwear. No specialized equipment or skills are necessary for observing storms, but given the immense rainfall, these are essential wardrobe items. I found great value in the waterproof knit sneakers I procured particularly for this outing from Vessi, a brand based in Vancouver, whose tight-fitting shoes maintained my feet and socks dry as I splashed through puddles and scrambled over rocky shorelines. They feature durable treads too, aiding in stability on the slick algae.
At low tide, we unearthed an abundance of mussels ripe for collecting right beside our cottage. In British Columbia, one needs a tidal water sports-fishing license to harvest shellfish, which fortunately, my keen fisherman boyfriend possessed. He harvested close to a dozen mussels from the rocks, and we simply cooked them in butter and garlic in foil pans. The large mussels matched perfectly with the 40 Knots Winery extra brut sparkling wine we acquired on the way to Port Renfrew.
In case you need to connect with the rest of the world on Vancouver Island…
Anticipate being out of reach. There is no cell coverage here, and wifi can be unreliable in a major storm. So we advise against planning any conference calls during your stay. Think of this visit as an opportunity to delve into a book, play board games, or have insightful discussions with your fellow travelers. The forces of storms offer a humbling reminder of how trivial our own lives appear in the greater context of the universe and Mother Nature.
Keep your gaze
Manténte atento para avistar focas del puerto, leones marinos, orcas, nutrias y ballenas grises del Pacífico en las aguas. Durante el verano, Port Renfrew es famoso por su pesca de halibut y salmón de clase mundial; también se considera el inicio del Sendero de la Costa Oeste. En la calma entre las tormentas, hay lugares hermosos cercanos para descubrir, como la Playa Botánica durante la marea baja. Otro recorrido que vale la pena es Avatar Grove, que ofrece vistas de cascadas, cedros rojos de crecimiento antiguo y abetos Douglas cubiertos de musgo (el bosque actualmente está cerrado temporalmente por seguridad pública y protección ambiental). El sendero superior de Avatar Grove es conocido por llevar al árbol más espectacular de Canadá.
Al planear tu viaje a la Isla de Vancouver, deberías…
Esperar lo inesperado en cuanto al clima. La costa oeste de la Isla de Vancouver es uno de los lugares más lluviosos de América del Norte – así que si te quedas unos días, hay grandes posibilidades de que experimentes el clima tormentoso por el que la región es conocida. Sin embargo, estas tormentas son tan impredecibles como cualquier otro fenómeno natural. Tal vez no experimentes ninguna tormenta durante tu estadía, o tal vez te quedes atrapado por la lluvia y necesites extender tu visita porque un camino está intransitable.
Definitivamente querrás revisar el pronóstico antes de tu viaje. Si el clima parece severo –como un vendaval o tormenta de granizo– permanece dentro y observa la tormenta de forma segura desde una ventana. DriveBC.ca proporciona información sobre las condiciones de las carreteras en tiempo real; ten en cuenta que la provincia exige neumáticos de invierno.