The Beginning of the End

It's a very bittersweet time in my life right now.  On the one hand, the chaotic month of August is almost at its end and I am preparing to breathe a sigh of relief at the thought of life slowing down again.  On the other hand many beautiful souls in my life are beginning to leave.  Some are headed back to school, some are headed home, others are just moving on to their next adventure.  I, myself am starting to plan ahead for my next course of action.  With the loss of such wonderful friends and the realization that I missed out on many precious memories during the final stretch of summer I can't help but feel a little lonely.

I realize that my last blog post took quite a negative turn so I have resolved to seek optimism.  I refuse to say "goodbye", but rather, "until we meet again."  Since I am striving to see it all in a positive light, I have decided to take this time and reflect on some of my favourite memories this incredible summer has given me:

Stubbs Island
One of my first real adventures in Tofino and I haven't stopped talking about it since.  The entire long weekend was divine.  From the incredible Jayce and Sidney showing up at our house with their new Dutch hitchhiking friend Bob, to downing Growlers and playing hours of Taboo on the patio, to the creation of my newest nickname "Granny Franny."  The day was so much fun from start to finish.  Then the next day getting off work early, booking it down to the dock to find the entire crew (and then some) waiting for me in line for the ferry: everything came together magically to bring us to the unbelievable Stubbs Island.  Jayce got naked in front of little kids, Bob broke the rope swing and traumatized more little kids, and an epic croquet match/wheelbarrow race ensued (all fuelled by portable Old Fashions, of course).  Even now when I think about May Long Weekend, I can't help but smile.

Radar Beach
What started off as a spur-of-the-moment idea became a very reflective time.  When Jordan and I planned to hike down to Radar Beach (as she had never been) the sun was near setting and it was a race against time to make it down and back before nightfall.  Being completely alone on such a secluded and pristine beach made me realize just how small I really am in this crazy universe.  Creating our "Tofino Bucket List" was a great kick off to the summer.

Endless Fun at Staff Accom
From the first Toga Party to the more recent Prom Party, there was never a dull moment in staff accom.  I'll never forget how Brooke organized a "Beer Hunt" for Easter which lead into an intense Beer Olympics with she and Chance donning bunny ears.  It was those wild nights when I truly felt I was among friends and could really be myself and for that I will always be grateful.

Cox Bay Parties
Although fires and camping are expressly forbidden on Cox Bay, that never stopped us from experiencing a bevy of wild nights there.  The insanity of Lilly's birthday, the hilarity of the staff BBQ, the magic of our "hippy" night under the stars and countless other endeavours with incredible friends.  From experiencing the phosphoresce to enjoying the serene view from Cox Peek or Sunset Point, the bay is the most magical spot in Tofino for me and I will always think of it as home.

Countless Good Times at the Hen House
When I made the transition from staff accom to my new living situation, I was nervous for the change in scenery.  Being fortunate enough to find such an amazing living space was awesome in itself.  Getting to live with 4 of the most incredible roommates and friends was more than I could ask for.  Endless laughter, BBQs, potlucks, nonstop visitors and great times chilling in the loft.  Tom, Kyle, Katlyn, Chanel thank you all for the great times this summer.

Canada Day
How could I forget getting completely obliterated in the parking lot at staff accom the night before Canada Day and almost being too hungover to celebrate?  Waking up and stumbling to the lodge for eggs benny with some of my favourite girls (all donning red plaid of course) and having our boss treat us all to breakfast was the best way to start the day.  Going for a refreshing dip in the ocean (which lead to us deciding now was the ideal time to skinny dip, surfers and spectators be damned!) was equally awesome.  Skate park festivities and fun followed.

My Birthday Celebrations
Spending my birthday weekend at Pemberton Music Festival with some of my all time favourite people, watching some of my all time favourite performers was incredible, but then when I returned home to a surprise gathering?  I wanted to cry for joy.  (Finally) walking into my room and seeing hundreds of balloons and a new bike (to replace my stolen one) filled my soul with joy.  Getting dragged to the beach to find so many of my friends waiting there for me with a huge home-made card was more than my heart could handle.  Never in my life has anyone thrown a surprise party for me, every year on my birthday I plan and organize my own party.  I felt so surrounded by love I could barely believe my fortune to meet such incredible friends.  To know they wanted to celebrate this monumental moment in my life, even after knowing me for a short time, is inexpressible.  Listening to Davin create "The Fran Song" on the spot was just icing on the cake.

Kennedy Lake Days
Although there were several amazing days at the lake, there is one that sticks out in particular.  Jordan and I had decided we were headed out to Rainbow Bridge sometime in the afternoon.  After picking up several scragglers and hitting never ending roadblocks on our journey, Jordan, Angus, Joss, JD and I finally arrived at the lake... at like 5 pm.  Nevertheless we spent our time sipping brewery beer and floating on our long boards.  Highlights include: jumping off the bridge, exploring the lake reeds and watching Joss rolling around hammered in the back of the van.

Super Moon Pirate Party on Vargas Island
I felt I was doomed to not attend this themed party on the secluded Vargas Island under the incredible full moon.  Everyone I knew were going on Sunday night and I honestly did not believe I would make the last ferry departing at 10 pm.  But a series of surprising events lead me to the dock at midnight where, on a whim, a group of us asked a random guy named Dale in a tin boat if he would take us to Vargas.  Not only did he agree, but he let me drive the boat.  Upon arriving at the party I was immediately surrounded by all my beautiful friends who were all shouting my name and simultaneously hugging me, shocked by my unexpected entrance.  We celebrated the births of Joss and Phil; we danced our assess off under the crazy light show to some awesome local DJs; and Lilly burst into tears, declaring "This is the best night of my life you guys!"  Totally worth Jordan and I sleeping on the sand and waking up covered in sand flea bites.

Those are just a few of the highlights of my summer, I know there are many other incredible memories to come this fall.

What are some of yours?

Is It Over Yet?

This has been, hands down, the greatest summer of my life.  Surfing, hiking, infinite days on Kennedy Lake, Growlers, Super Moon parties on private islands, countless theme parties, incredible friends, fantastic food, nature, wildlife, love and peace.
Yes, it's been a summer for the books and I can't believe I'm saying this but...
I can't wait for it to finally end.

Let me explain...

When I set out to move to Tofino I wanted to experience it with my whole heart.  I never set out to make tons of money, in fact, I would have been happy to simply break even.  I moved to Tofino to find myself and reflect on some personal issues.  Up until recently I was doing just that.  I was broke, but happy and fulfilled.  Then last month I sort of fell into a second job.  At first it was okay, I was working full time nights at one position and doing a couple mornings at the other.  I was tired, but it was manageable and I still had days off.  Then August came along with the chaos that accompanies this time of month.  A lot of people have already left to go back to school, but the town is still packed with tourists.  Now I've found myself with two full time jobs and working back to back 16 hour days.  No time to pursue my interests, no opportunities to catch up with friends, no chance to run or surf or read.  Hell, I barely have time to sleep and eat.  But I know I'm not the only one in this position, this God-foresaken month is the problem.

When I first got here, all the locals griped about summer.  They all said it's too noisy and stressful and there are too many tourists and douchey seasonal folks.  I couldn't believe what I was hearing.  How could anyone hate summer?  And as far as the tourists, they pay our wages and drive our economy.  We rely on them to keep us going through those slow winter months.  We should be grateful for their presence.  Right?  Now I'm so cynical, I instantaneously despise every tourist I see and here's why:  In April, the tourists I interacted with were warm and friendly and interested in life in Tofino.  They were mostly middle-aged couples and mostly fellow British Columbians.  The tourists now are a lot of Americans and Europeans.  They're rich, yet miserable and traveling with young children.  When asked how they are, they'll often let out a heavy sigh and answer "Alright, I guess."
What's to guess?  You are in the most beautiful spot in Canada (as far as I'm concerned.)  You're staying in a 5 star resort that caters to your every whim, you have nothing but free time in a town with endless adventures, but still, they're miserable.
Maybe it upsets me because I'm a little jealous.  Jealous that I have to work my ass off to afford to live here.  Jealous that I'll probably never be able to afford a luxurious vacation for myself.  Or maybe I'm just sick of the bitching and moaning.  Some of my favourite complaints include:

"You're internet SUCKS here!"
Welcome to Tofino, the internet sucks everywhere.  It's hit or miss.  Try putting down your phone and experiencing nature first hand rather than just tweeting about it.

"Does it ever get warmer here?"
Nope, it's a rainforest, in the Pacific Northwest.  Didn't you do any research regarding the weather before you came all the way here?

"Why is it always so foggy?"
They don't call it Fogust for nothing.  Again, a little research on your part would have gone a long way.

For me, its hard not to take it personally.  I may not have lived here for long, but right now Tofino is home for me and people I love.  I am constantly in awe of all the beauty and magic that surrounds me.  For others to not see what I see, it's almost sacrilegious.  To have people speak down to me and treat me as if I'm below them, that hurts even more.

I'm just tired, tired of busting my ass off every day and night for barely any money.  I'm tired of putting on a fake smile and dealing with ill-mannered children.  And the bike path, oh man, don't get me started on the bike path.  I rely on my bike to get where I need to go.  When I'm riding, I'm rushing from job to job or running errands in the little bit of spare time I have and I'm constantly dodging families out for a leisurely bike.  I don't get why the concept is so difficult: Stay right, except to pass.  Don't walk directly in the middle, taking up the entire path and then shoot me daggers when I try to pass you.  Don't park your car directly on the bike path so I have to ride (dangerously) along the side of the highway.  And DON'T park your car in front of the path to Vinyl and then stare at me as I awkwardly stumble through the prickle bushes in an effort to get home.

I don't mean to be ungrateful, but a lot of my frustration comes from being overworked and overtired.  As much as I may wallow in self pity I don't expect sympathy from anyone else, because we're all in the same boat.  I'm not the only one with multiple jobs, I'm not the only one putting in long hours or working 2 weeks straight without a day off.  We're all pooched and starting to snap at one another, just counting down the days until the summer ends.

I dream about September when life can slow down a little.  Until then, I'll just keep swimming.

A Little Diddy Called Stubbs

A few weeks ago I participated in the Tofino Ambassador program through the Rainforest Education Society.  This course is offered free of charged for Tofitians who want to learn more about the local history and is designed to provide "correct" information that those of us in the hospitality industry can pass onto guests.  The instructor briefly touched on Clayoquot or "Stubbs" Island as one of the first trading posts created on the coast.  She also mentioned that this island is open to the public only on May long weekend and suggested that if possible we should all take advantage of the opportunity to visit.  I was immediately intrigued and began enquiring with some of the more settled locals.  Almost everyone I asked admitted that they had heard of it, but had never seen it firsthand; no one seemed very keen to visit.  Well I wasn't about to let this stop me, I was determined to get to the island and see these 200 year old rhododendrons Google had told me so much about.  On Saturday I finished work, grabbed my camera and hauled ass downtown to enquire about the boat transportation only to discover that the boats stopped running in under an hour.  No matter, I thought, I would just make a point of getting there sooner on Sunday.  Sunday afternoon I left work and texted my roommate to see if she was still interested in joining.  She responded to tell me that she and a group of others were on their way and would save me a spot in line.  Perfect!

We climbed onto the little water taxi and jetted across the channel with Captain Steve at the helm; within a few minutes we were disembarking onto Stubbs Island.  Upon ascending the ramp and seeing this natural wonderland, I felt overwhelmed with a sense of peace.  It felt so separate from society despite the fact it was crawling with tourists and that you can see town from shore.  There are boardwalks and paths in every which direction, dotted with little driftwood benches and gazebos.  Every plant and flower have been immaculately cared for and the beaches were absolutely pristine.  All along, huge old growth hemlocks loomed overhead.  I can say with certainty that the 2 hours we spent there was not an adequate amount of time to explore the sprawling 130 acres of the island.  We explored the boardwalks down to the beach and back up to a large open field where an impromptu croquet tournament took place (along with a quick wheelbarrow race.)  All around children ran about and screaming with glee, families enjoyed picnic lunches, couples sprawled across the spongey grass, soaking up the sunshine.  The magic of the island could be felt by everyone.

On our way back to the dock we stopped to thank the two caretakers, (and only residents of the island) Chris Taylor and Sharon Whalen, who sat in front of the Sea Wench Naturals headquarters, sipping wine and asking us how we enjoyed our experience.  While waiting for the boat to return we chatted with one of the temporary caretakers and peppered him with questions about life on the island.  He informed us that their generator runs off solar power and that a sand filtration system provides running water.  He also informed us that the island is owned by Susan Bloom, a resident of Salt Spring Island who had recently donated 70% of the property to the Land Conservancy of BC to prevent any future owners of the island from developing or selling of plots.  The return to reality was bittersweet and the experience made me curious to learn more...

The Island was originally named Stubbs after Captain Napolean Fits Stubbs who travelled around Vancouver Island in 1861 on the ship Templar.  The word Clayoquot comes from clea-o meaning another or different and aht meaning people or village.  In 1860 it was established as a trading post and settlement, the first outside of Fort Victoria.  In the 1890's it was controlled by the Hudson Bay Company.  In 1898 owner Walter Dawley built the first hotel on the coast, when this structure burned to the ground it was replaced by a smaller parlour and beer hall, once again, the first of its kind.  In 1937 the island was purchased by Betty Farmer who, along with her sister Jo Brydges, is credited with creating the incredible gardens found there today.  Between 1940 and 1990 the island had several owners before being purchased by Bloom.

I feel so much gratitude to have experienced this little piece of Tofino history firsthand and am eager to return next year to explore everything else the island has to offer.

Sources:
Gibson, Ken.  "A Brief Story of Clayoquot Preserve on Stubbs Island" About Clayoquot Preserve, Stubbs Island, Tofino BC.  GoTofino.com <http://www.gotofino.com/tofinoarticles/stubbsislandclayoquotislandkengibson.html>

Hawthorn, Tom.  "Stubbs Island: A Return to Paradise"  Tom Hawthorn's Blog.  tomhawthorn.blogspot.com <http://tomhawthorn.blogspot.ca/2011/05/stubbs-island-return-to-paradise.html> May 16, 2013.

Westerly News.  "Clayoquot Island Now Has Land Conservancy Protection,"  Canada.com <http://www.canada.com/story.html?id=e7146c5d-e3da-4ab0-b442-34b058db811b> January 31, 2008.