UNDER THE WEATHER IN TOFINO
The irony of attending a wellness weekend when I was not actually well was not lost on me. But I had committed to take part in a boot camp and I didn’t want to back out. Even though it was at the beach in fall, in Tofino.
The idea had been to kick start the inevitable new year’s fitness regime before Christmas to get a jump-start on at least one resolution. The Beauty and the Beach Bootcamp and Yoga Retreat seemed just the thing, freezing cold Tofino rain or no.
Then, the night before, I was hit hard with a cold. A bad one. Divine intervention? Possibly. I thought about not going but the inimitable Nike slogan Just Do It kept running through my head and I decided to soldier on and do just that.
Now you may not think this was such a great idea, but Tofino is actually not a bad place to be when you’re under the weather. Especially if you’re staying at Long Beach Lodge. You can wrap yourself in cashmere and cosy up by a roaring fire, either right in your own room or down in the lodge’s soaring great room; drink plenty of liquids, in the form of Hot Toddies from the bar; read a book; take baths — lots of hot, bubbly soaks in the big tub that has shutters looking into your room and beyond to the crashing surf below; and get plenty of rest. Beauty and the Beach? More like Beauty Sleep at the Beach. Just what I needed.
And then there are the beach walks Tofino is famous for — long, leisurely forays along the sand in the fresh sea air. Perfect.
So that’s what I did. While the rest of the boot campers performed jumping jacks, crunch es and sprints down the beach in the rain, I sauntered the stretch of sand in front of the hotel, Kleenex in hand, watching them and the surfers in the waves beyond. And while burpees on the beach were a bit of a stretch, stretching out on a yoga mat was just the ticket. As was the meditation, goal and intention setting, and nutrition tips. Which would start right after the weekend. This was Tofino, after all, with its myriad foodie offerings.
After all that walking about, the first well-deserved stop was for a mug of melting chocolatey deliciousness at Chocolate Tofino. That’s the only way to describe it. Your average hot chocolate it ain’t. This local institution has been creating hand-crafted artistic chocolates using local ingredients, such as Clayoquot Wild Blackberry Buttercream and Salt Spring Island Organic Lavender Truffle, since 2003. In summer, go for the homemade gelato and sorbet.
Then it was onto lunch at So bo for some of chef Lisa Ahier’s legendary smoked fish chowder and a side of cornbread smeared with maple butter. Talk about a perfect West Coast combination. Pick up a signed copy of Ahier’s cookbook while you’re there — the chowder recipe’s in it.
After a wander around town and a late afternoon flight of small batch craft beers, including Tuff Session Ale and Kelp Stout, at Tofino Brewing Co. it was on to the amazing Wolf in the Fog for a feast of not-to-be-missed potato crusted oyster with celeriac and truffle mayo; chili squid and pork jowl; and baked Tofino halibut with clams, peas, brassica, nettle and perogies.
I was starting to feel better already.
One last soak in the tub before bed and I would be right as rain, the Tofino kind, in no time.