Tofino, British Columbia, is stunning. Gorgeous sandy beaches, lush forests, and the Pacific Ocean; which when you stare out across it can seem a bit overwhelming when you know that the next point of land is Japan! In the summertime tourists flock to Tofino in their rented campervans and don survival suits and wetsuits to try to partake in what Tofino does best: nature! That includes whale watching, kayaking and surfing, just to name a few of the activities on offer.

However, living in Vancouver, I preferred to travel to Tofino in the off-season, when Tofino is like a ghost town. I thought storm watching when the town is almost deserted would be a great way to break up the holiday season. However, upon arriving in Tofino, my fellow travelers had other ideas.

“We’re going surfing!” they said.

“It’s hailing and snowing and raining all at the same time!” I replied.

“Yes, it is perfect weather! Look at the surf!”

Now, I can’t surf very well. Honestly, I can’t surf. I can paddle my board out past the break, and I can catch a few waves and I can attempt to lift myself up, but my standing duration is only about 1-2 seconds, depending on who is counting. However, always up for a new experience, I threw caution to the wind and suited up.

The wind lashed, the hail skidded across my face, and on December 28th I waded into the Pacific Ocean with my surfboard. It was exhilarating. Because the ocean maintains a certain level of temperature all year round, the water felt almost warmer than it does in the summer (a contributing factor could also be the fact I was numb).

For about on hour the three of us bobbed in the ocean like seals. Giant smiles plastered on our faces, as people kitted out in rain jackets watched from the beach in disbelief. I can say that my skill level did not improve from that little jaunt in the surf, but knowing that it is possible to surf in Tofino in all seasons, and still smile was definitely worth it.