Paradise found -- and attainable

I bit it hard. There was no denying it. In a split second, my head was plunged into the icy Pacific Ocean and my mouth was full of sand.

The wave threw me and then flipped me a few times before shooting me out of the water ... just in time for my surfboard to hit me square in the throat. 

But my smile was proof that I was having the time of my life.

The west coast of British Columbia's Vancouver Island is a place of lore and mystery. Only a few hundred miles from Seattle, it has remained a dramatic wilderness -- off the radar and difficult to access -- for many living in the Northwest.

A weekend trip there used be tough -- the maddening maelstrom of rush-hour traffic, border crossings and ferry lines can take up to 10 hours by car. But now Kenmore Air has launched daily service to Tofino from Boeing Field. At about $500 the round-trip flight ain't cheap, but it'll get you there in just an hour and 45 minutes.

No matter how you get there, do it soon. The word is out on this luxury wilderness experience, and it won't be a secret much longer.

The wild, wet west

The villages of Tofino and Ucluelet sandwich the temperate rainforest of the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve and sit just below the Clayoquot Sound UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. To the east are snowcapped mountains. To the west, there is nothing but ocean for 3,000 miles. 

The dramatic setting and laid-back way of life has attracted eclectic communities of fishermen, environmentalists, surfers, hippies, urban burnouts, artists, entrepreneurs and First Nations people. You won't find picture-perfect towns like Carmel or Nantucket. There are still rough edges and a spirit wild at heart. And with more than 10 feet of rain per year, the region is wet, to say the least.

But Tofino in particular has been blessed with sweeping, sandy beaches and some of the best surfing waves in North America. In the '80s, the town was the site of clashes between logging companies and those hoping to save its dramatic beauty. The environmentalists won, and ecotourism now takes center stage.

I set off on a four-day getaway this spring from Seattle's urban landscape and found enough to keep me busy for weeks: hiking the rainforest, kayaking and surfing for the adrenaline; storm-watching, botanical gardens and beach walks for the mellow times; and spas and fine dining for the luxury. All of which is set amid some of the most dramatic scenery on Earth -- where whales can be seen offshore and wolf tracks can be found on the beach.

Hippie chic

Tofino not only caters to the hippie surf crowd, it also offers high-end options -- the kind that get a person dreaming about rustic honeymoons. The Wickaninnish Inn has a stunning location on a craggy rock outcrop, and most rooms offer sweeping views of the Pacific. The spa and some ground-floor rooms are designed to be surrounded by water during the winter storm surge.

Tofino is also a foodie's paradise. Unlike many of the fine-dining establishments you would find in larger cities, most of Tofino's restaurants are intimate, family-run affairs where the owner might also be your waiter. You won't find any McDonald's or Starbucks here. In fact, city leaders have banned chain stores outright. This has provided fertile ground for a thriving industry of mom-and-pop bakeries, cafes and restaurants.

Hippies and upscale travelers coexist in harmony. The atmosphere is more T-shirts and rustic elegance than Hugo Boss and Cartier. I was comfortable wearing fleece and Gore-Tex in all of the nicest hotels and restaurants. Leave behind the tie and opt for REI instead. This is Canada, after all.

Lisa Ahier is typical of a Tofino restaurateur. She moved from Texas and opened SoBo (short for Sophisticated Bohemian) in the back of a catering truck in a parking lot, and recently moved her business to a stylish cedar building. Using fresh, organic, locally purchased ingredients, Ahier offers dishes such as tofu pockets with smoked salmon, shiitake mushrooms and organic greens, and fish tacos in blue corn tortillas with local wild fish, chipotles, fresh fruit salsa and blueberries.

Surfin' Canada

For years, Vancouver Island's west coast has been a quiet legend in the surf community. Ten years ago, Tofino opened its first surf school, which has since ballooned to six schools operating year-round. 

Even the most timid surfer can easily catch waves in conditions ranging from mild to downright scary. On my second day in town, I joined Pacific Surf School and a group of 12 novices for a half-day lesson. During the first hour we learned surf etiquette, the safest way to wipe out, and how to avoid undertows and riptides. We then drew boards in the sand and practiced "popping up," balance and -- most important -- how to ride with style.

Once we were in the water, it didn't take long to catch on. Instructors swam from person to person shouting advice, and soon every one of us was catching respectable 10-second rides.

Half-day group lessons cost $79 (boards and wetsuits included). If you are intimidated by learning to surf in a group, private lessons can be arranged for $165.  Renting a board on your own costs $20 per day. Surf Sister offers "girls only" classes.

Ucluelet

About 25 miles down the road from Tofino is the fishing village of Ucluelet (or "Ukee," as it's known by the locals). Like Tofino, it's becoming popular in a hurry. But it's also watching its neighbor to the north and trying to avoid the pitfalls that can plague boomtowns.

Ucluelet is more of a family community than Tofino, with fewer seasonal transients (it is home to the only nearby schools).  Most residents say the town's tourism industry is what Tofino's was like 10 years ago. As I wandered through quiet residential neighborhoods, I noticed waterfront condos going up on nearly every corner. A huge patch of clear-cut forest will become a five-star oceanside resort with a Jack Nicklaus golf course this fall.

In spite of the building craze, however, Ukee is still an untamed place. Eagles, otters, sea lions and black bears regularly can be seen around town. Three weeks before my arrival, the owner of Ebb Tide Bed & Breakfast, where I stayed, woke up to find a cougar sleeping on her back deck. She advised me to sing loudly to warn bears and other predators if I was walking home after dark. 

Places for hiking, whale-watching, bear-spotting, kayaking and heavy drinking are all within 10 minutes of downtown. A few blocks from my B&B, the Wild Pacific Trail offered an entire day of dramatic coastal hiking. The well-maintained path alternates between dripping rainforest and the pounding Pacific. 

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