A slight dip and a subtle curve and then wham! There it is. Just for a couple of seconds, that quick first tease of Long Beach, it’s grey-white sands Canada’s last western home stand, just there on your left. Your eyes can’t take in all the beauty in that flash. The breakers rolling in wave after wave. The shrouds of tall trees, the ragged rocky islands just off shore. The colour of the endless sky as you look west — way out there the next stop is Japan. Inhale and whisper “wow.”

The tease ends and the trees again close the brief viewing window alongside the highway. For the moment. The grand window beckons. But we know now some of what awaits and the temptation is to speed up. (Don’t. The Mounties still always get their man.) Within 15 minutes of the first flirt we are checked into the Long Beach Lodge Resort and the full-on affair begins. In the first year of its opening in 2002 it was named Project of the Year by the Canadian Home Builders Association for its design, function and use of space and compatibility with its environment. Simply put, if we thought Mother Nature’s paintbrush along the road to Tofino were impressive, on Long Beach Lodge’s eight acres we find some of our human brethren’s most ingenious works of art as well. Wood, stone and water the elements which merge in harmony at builder-owner Ted Hackett’smasterpiece on the front porch of Cox Bay, seven kilometres from downtown Tofino. A near perfect marriage between man and his world.

Hackett, a born-and-raised Victorian, called upon another south Islander, interior designer Kimberly Williams to fill the Lodge’s 40 guest rooms and 20 two-bedroom cottages with colours and comforts in tune with the magnificence of the location. And finely tuned it is. The room we occupy is perfect. The door opens and the view is instantly stunning. From the large firm comfy bed we watch the surfers doing their dance and crash routines on Cox Bay. The roar of the surf is ever present, the natural lighting calming, the smell of salt air soothing. Later there is time for a bath in the huge deep pond of a tub with blinds that open to the sights and sounds of the ocean’s evening symphony. Clearly, this is no cookie cutter hotel. This is part of an experience to remember. Later the dream continues with a five-course extravagant feast in a room so great it ranks with any on the planet. But for now it is time to merge with the ocean as a whale watching expedition is arranged.

Now not merely voyeurs, we become part of the show. And the show is Mother Nature.

Just 10 minutes from our room at the Lodge we lose all pretenses of our city dwelling lives back home. We are aboard the Wasco, a 31-foot aluminum Eaglecraft built in Campbell River, owned and operated by Keith Phillips. His West Coast Aquatic Safaris business is one of many offering visitors the truest examples of what life on the Island’s far reaches is all about — birds, whales, bears and hot springs. The Wasco (meaning sea wolf) is powered by a Volvo Penta D6 Diesel 370hp with a backup kicker of 25hp and can carry up to 12 passengers. Think fast and sturdy — not quiet and sleek.

The key component of this whale watching adventure may be the guide. Upon first glance Keith Phillips seems a cross between Kurt Russel and Curt Cobain — rugged, intense, yet strangely surfer-dudish. He’s listening to reggae as we board, and his chattiness calms anyone who may be a little unsure about cruising into the raw ocean. Phillips knows plenty about these waters and the magnificent creatures that live in or fly above it. He explains the types of whales we are looking for today, (Humpbacks, Grays, and if lucky, Orcas), their migrant patterns, their habits, their sensitive natures. With just 12 passengers, the Wasco is homey, and Phillips is quick to explain how despite the technology of GPS and regular radio contact with many other whale watching companies nearby, it is still very much part of our duty as passengers to keep an eye out for spouts. Sure enough, within minutes of flying (okay more like bouncing) out of Tofino harbour we are cutting the engines and waiting for our guests to surface. And what an entrance. Two humpbacks, a mom and offspring are feeding nearby. Wouldn’t you know it, junior is in just a great mood, flipping his tail, smacking the water, and even flying up to give us a full view of his huge black and white body as if posing for the cameras.

We are within 30 yards of these massive denizens of the deep, perhaps too close, but their unpredictability made it impossible to keep the engine running for a lateral escape. They slide by our stern as the passengers eyes and mouths widen in awe. Later in the three hour tour we see spouts of a grey whale, but sadly they are in transit, not wanting to surface today. The orcas too are not in the vicinity, but as anyone with any knowledge of whale watching will tell you, one cannot predict what one will see on the sea on any given day. Today we are fortunate, as not only did we experience mom and her offspring, we also saw a rocky island near Long Beach which is home to more than 100 noisy sea lions. Other islands house many types of sea birds, and the Wasco’s presence doesn’t seem to bother them at all. A large bald eagle magically appears and seemingly pilots our boat back into Tofino harbour.

With only a couple of months left in the official “tourism season” Phillips explains how September is his favorite month to guide.“Well honestly a lot of the tourists have gone, so we get more locals and Islanders,” he says. “They know it’s still hot out and it’s a little quieter.”

Anyone who has been whale watching will tell you it is a spiritual exercise and when we tie up along side, we know we have seen something which man cannot her calf, playing, feeding and just being mammals in plain view of other mammals.

As we return to the Lodge, it is time for the capper to an amazing day. That comes in a visit to The Great Room — the Long Beach Lodge Resort’s signature calling card.

A large common area with its oversized granite fireplace, Douglas fir post and beam construction, this palatial restaurant provides a panoramic view of Cox Bay. It is broad, roomy and beckoning. And it is home to a menu featuring gourmet west coast cuisine featuring local seafood and farm fresh Vancouver Island meats, cheeses and organic produce.

The wine list too is exquisite, with most renowned BC and global wineries represented. Bottles range from $36 to several hundred.

Chef Josh Anker, a Port Alberni culinary wizard who apprenticed at Camosun College’s Culinary Arts program and finished at Vancouver Island University, is considered one of the new breed of chefs, subscribing to a philosophy of “educating the palate and feeding all of the senses from the heart of the Island.” With a knack and love for classic French cooking, Anker and his kitchen team produced a one of a kind, five-course dining experience simply unparalleled. The stewards proudly set down plate after plate of gourmet delights — English pea consomme with whipped creme fraiche; chantrelle mushroom salad with duck rillette and truffle vinaigrette; a seared to perfection Qualicum Bay scallop, with orange pearls, avocado sorbet and citrus salad; a phenomenal beef tenderloin with fois grass butter and smoked mash potato; instead of beef, my dining guest had the yogurt poached white spring salmon — freshly caught that morning. It was complete with roasted pepper vinaigrette and potato fondant. For desert — fresh made lemon tart, with home made orange blossom marshmallows, white chocolate sauce and rhubarb ice cream, along with a selection of yummy chocolate cake, dark chocolate ganache, praline crumble and home made vanilla ice cream.

There was no need to search for platitudes when the chef made his way out to check on his guests. They were clearly visible in the satisfied smiles throughout The Great Room.
Eleven hours after leaving for Tofino from the Central Island, we turned in for the night, mesmerized, tired and incredibly grateful. It was a full day of in-your-face nature exploration, palette pampering, and a healthy dose of good old-fashioned relaxation by the sea.

Some people fly from all over the world to experience what Vancouver Islanders enjoy year round. We choose to love to live here.