Afghan War army veteran Bucky Barnes has spent the last nine years working as a private investigator, the only job he could get after being found responsible for the deaths of two young boys in Afghanistan. After a year in military prison and a dis...
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I apologize if the description of the Tofino area sounds like a travelogue. Tourism is very important to this part of Canada and even clerks in a store have a role to play in helping tourists in the area. It seemed plausible that Bucky and Natalie's orientation would include a quick touristy introduction to the area. If you ever have a chance to visit that part of Vancouver Island it is very beautiful country.
************************* The tour of the region was as spectacular as Marty promised. First they walked over to the Amphitrite Point Lighthouse, just a few blocks away from their house. Perched on the edge of the Pacific Ocean, the lighthouse, a short squat square building with a red cupola on top was set in the rock of the coastline. It was after high tide but the spray from the waves hitting the rock still flew well over the building and onto the trail they were on. Marty explained how the ocean on this part of the island was part of the graveyard of the Pacific because of the hidden reefs of rock, much of it volcanic in origin that hid below the surface of the water. They walked the portion of the Wild Pacific Trail that was nearest the lighthouse and saw trees that were sculpted by high winds and water. The lookouts that they came across looked out over either wild water or calm coves but it gave them a sense of exhilaration and wonder at the wild beauty.
After walking back to the house they got in the mini van and Marty drove down to the dock where he pointed out all the fishing boats. It was a small craft harbour but there was also a 200 passenger ferry and cargo vessel that made a round trip with Port Alberni further inland every day. Marty explained that the area was quite closed off from the rest of the island until the 1960s when people, mainly hippies looking for unspoiled nature, started driving in on the logging roads that crisscrossed the middle of the island to get to the west coast. It was many years before a highway was built but once it was the number of tourists exploded as word of mouth about the area reached everywhere. What was once a logging, whaling and fishing area now relied mostly on tourism for its economy.
They stopped a few kilometres down the road at the Wickaninnish Interpretive Centre and he led them a short way down the South Beach Trail. It was a small beach but Marty pointed out that it had a special feeling with three large rocks seeming to guard it. The beach surface itself was quite soft.
"Today's a good day," he said. "On a stormy day you can't get anywhere near here as the water comes all the way and the waves are higher than the rocks. Erin and I come here for picnics in the summer."
By this time Natalie was holding hands with Bucky and seemed to be really enjoying the admittedly spectacular scenery. Even though it was December it was green, although Marty said they had sometimes experienced heavy snow as well. If the sun was out and winds down it could get quite warm for the season. They returned to the car and Marty drove to Long Beach where out in the distance they could see surfers.
"Isn't it a bit cold for surfing?" asked Natalie.
"For you or me, yeah," said Marty. "But a lot of these people are locals who have surfed here since they were kids. They have antifreeze in their veins. They wear two wetsuits as well. They love the sport so much they don't let the cold stop them."
