Ucluelet Travel Blog

Bouldering is a style of rock climbing that is normally a short distance from the ground.  Climbers are not attached to the rope and usually, instead of climbing upwards, they climb from side to side.  Large rock faces, or boulders, is a great place to practise this activity.

South Beach in the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve has beautiful rock formations, and dark grey boulders, that are ideal for bouldering.  They are short and offer a cushy sand ground to catch you should you fall.

There is some technique to it, but can be easily learned, or at the very least tried out by all skills and abilities.  If you try it, focus on keeping three points on the boulder at all times and instead of long strides and reaches, move along the rock in short moves.  Use your problem solving skills as you decide where to put your foot or hand next.  

Never climb higher than 3 or 4 feet from the ground in order to avoid injury should you fall.  Make sure you don't go alone and try to have someone spot you while you are bouldering.  Watch your head too!

You don't need much equipment to try this.  Close fitting climbing or running shoes (or try bare feet), some chalk for your hands and feet if you feel up to it and a friend to go with.  Make sure you never boulder on headlands that are out to sea and always check the tide guide before going.

Getting to South Beach
Heading north from Ucluelet enter the Pacific Rim National Park on Highway 4.  Turn right at Wick Road towards the Kwisitis Visitor Centre.  Park in the visitor centre parking lot and follow the Nuu-chah-nulth trail behind the centre heading south.  Veer to your right when you come to the intersection along the trail and that leads to South Beach.

Editorial and Photo by Amy Hancock

This is the time of year when everyone reflects back on their lives and decides to make changes that will benefit them positively in the future.  We have some suggestions.  Here are Tourism Ucluelet's top 5 New Year’s Resolutions:

Exercise - Resolve to stay active in Ucluelet! 

Surfing is amazing exercise!  Suit up in your surfer’s best and paddle out passed the break.  Once you’re out there, you’ll have time to catch your breath while you gaze off into the vast horizon with nothing around you but the rawest form of nature, before swimming into position and paddling for the next big wave.  Read more about surfing in Ucluelet.

Fill your lungs with fresh ocean air as you hike or jog along the Wild Pacific Trail.  There are plenty of ups and downs that will get your heart pumping.  Shed the pounds before stunning coastal scenery as you pass through ancient forests.

Give your arms and shoulders a real work out with a kayaking tour of the Ucluelet Harbour.  Stroke through the calm waters as you watch eagles soar over head and explore the natural wonders of our inlet. Read more about kayaking in Ucluelet.

Photo by Amy Hancock

Diet – Resolve to add seafood to your diet in Ucluelet!

Salmon, halibut, cod, shrimp, crab, clams, mussels, and scallops are all on the menu in Ucluelet.  Fish is high in protein, low in fat, a rich source of iron, vitamin B-12, and omega-3 fatty acids that increase your immune system and helps vision and nervous system development.

Seafood is available in sushi, stews, and even sandwiches.  Treat yourself to a gourmet dish at a fine dining establishment or to a bowl of fresh seafood chowder at a family restaurant.  Read more information on dining in Ucluelet.

Spend Time with Family – Resolve to build memories in Ucluelet!

Do you remember your favourite family vacation memory from childhood?  Build those memories with your family in 2012 on the west coast of Vancouver Island.  There are many accommodation providers that offer family-friendly suites (including the dog!).  Spend the day at the beach building sandcastles, eat a picnic lunch, and take a surf lesson together as a family.  Grab an ice cream cone on your way to the docks before embarking on a Whale Watching tour.  Go for a walk down the Wild Pacific Trail and have a family portrait at one of the look-out points.

Build family memories and grow as a family as your spend quality time together amongst some of the most breathtaking scenery Canada has to offer.

Photography courtesy of www.westcoastportrait.com

Live Adventurously – Resolve to have an adventure in Ucluelet!

Have you ever jumped off a cliff-side platform into a canyon with a river raging below?  Why not make this experience a must for 2012?  You’d be wearing a harness of course!  Ucluelet is proud to be home to the only zipline on the coast.  Take a zipline tour through the majestic Kennedy River Canyon as a series of ziplines and short nature trails guides you along the gorge.  You will feel like you are flying with the river below, ancient rainforests on both sides, and a beautiful mountain scene before you.  Read more about ziplines in Ucluelet.

Photo by Amy Hancock

Learn Something New – Resolve to learn a new skill in Ucluelet!

Hunt for hidden treasures using your GPS (don’t worry about buying digital equipment, you probably have it on your phone already!)  Geocaching is quickly becoming a popular outdoor “Indiana Jones” style activity that is enjoyed by all ages.  Explore the outdoors, locate hidden containers, and share your experiences online.  Visit Tourism Ucluelet on www.geocaching.com and start discovering!  Read more information about Geocaching in Ucluelet.

It looks like 2012 is going to be a GREAT year in Ucluelet.  I think these are New Year’s Resolutions you can keep and we look forward to helping you out.  It’s going to be fun!

By Amy Hancock

Once upon a time...

A tiny fir tree stood in a metal bucket.  Rocks in the bucket kept the tree upright, and its scraggly branches welcomed decorations made of sea shells and drift wood.  A garland made of strung popcorn filled in the empty spaces and a starfish was tied with twine to the top of the tree.  It was the first time I had made all the tree ornaments from natures prettiest things, and the first time I put up a tree inside of a 5^th wheel camper.  What else is one to do when it is Christmas time and you are on a camping holiday in Ucluelet?

Your Holiday, Your Way...

Christmas on the west coast come in all kinds of shapes and sizes.  You can stay in a luxury resort and spend your Christmas holidays getting seaweed scrubs and therapeutic massages at the spa.  You can watch the winter storms of the season from your comfy B&B in front of the fire with the smells of holiday baking wafting up the stairs.  Or you can spend it how we did that year, camping beneath giant trees and spending our days hiking to Half Moon Bay and surfing at Florencia Bay.

The cafes are all decked out for the holidays.  Even the art on the walls and the locally carved aboriginal sculptures are hiding behind garland, ribbons, and bows.  The tempting smells of pancakes and bacon are still in the room from a late morning's breakfast and the coffee brewing keeps will keep me there well into the afternoon.

Outside the December air is cool and thick.  It feels like it coats my lungs when you breathe it in.  The greens of cedar swags and dewy salal leaves are as vibrant, they look electric.  The Wild Pacific Trail falls to shadow in the afternoon, although the days are getting longer now after winter solstice it's difficult to notice much change.  Still, I will always find time to hike out to my favourite viewpoint along the Artists Loops section and watch the lazy winter sun set behind the jagged black rocks and into the Pacific Ocean.

The town looks like an oceanfront Christmas card.  The lights are strung out along rooftops and window trims.  A big inflatable Santa waves a 'Happy Holidays' at everyone as they drive down Peninsula Road, the main drag of town.   Store owners have had their decorated Christmas trees up for weeks and last minute shoppers always stop to look at the lights and their creative decorations.  Even the yachts in the boat basin have lights strung up their masts, decorating the water with true west coast holiday spirit!

We hope you sincerely enjoy your 'Christmas on the Edge' in Ucluelet, on the west coast of Vancouver Island.  Merry Christmas everyone and thank you for deciding to spend it with us!

By Amy Hancock

Put a west coast spin on your Christmas dinner this year.  Save the turkey for New Years day and cook up some of that wild pacific salmon you have sitting in the freezer.  That is assuming you fished it up last summer in Ucluelet ;)  If your freezer is fish-less, don't fret, your local grocery store will have a seafood section stocked with wild salmon.

Here is a salmon recipe that got two thumbs up as a main dish during a Christmas feast.

Pecan Crunch Salmon Bake

Ingredients

    3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
    3 tablespoons butter, melted
    5 teaspoons honey
    1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
    1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
    3 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
    6 (4 ounce) fillets salmon
    salt and pepper to taste
    6 lemon wedges

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). In a small bowl, mix together the mustard, butter, and honey. In another bowl, mix together the bread crumbs, pecans, and parsley.
    
Season each salmon fillet with salt and pepper. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Brush with mustard-honey mixture. Cover the top of each fillet with bread crumb mixture.
   
Bake for 10 minutes per inch of thickness, measured at thickest part, or until salmon just flakes when tested with a fork. Serve garnished with lemon wedges.

Serve with:

This delicious dish can be served with other holiday favourites like sweet potatos/yams, and string bean casserole.  I like it best with grilled asaragus and buttery roasted baby-potatoes. 

Pair with Pinot Noir or a White Burgandy wine.

Pumkin pie and whipped cream for dessert.

My suggestions:

I like to use more crushed pecans than bread crumbs.  I also use a honey mustard to make it a little less strong and mustardy, and turned the broiler on the last couple of minutes to really crunch up the pecans.

Imagine eating this well year round?  It's easy after you have been on a fishing trip in Ucluelet!  Catching your limit of Chinook, coho, sometimes sockeye and chum salmon on a weekend fishing trip, in a world class fishing destination like Ucluelet, can be enough to fill your freezer for a while...depending on your appetite!

Now is a great time to book your fishing charter for the 2012 sport fishing season.  Consider it for an awesome Christmas present the angler in your life will absolutely love!  Click for more information about Fishing in Ucluelet

I caught two Chinook and one coho during the Fish Off of the Ucluelet Salmon Ladder Derby in September.  I was Derby Patrol last year so I didn't qualify for any of the prizes, but I did come home with over 60lbs of fish!  Early bird tickets are on sale now for just $35 for a seasons registration.  This would make an excellent stocking stuffer. 

Click for more information about the Ucluelet Salmon Ladder Derby.

Make sure that you follow the regulations put in place by the Fisheries and Oceans Canada.  Click for more information about Recreational Licensing.  There will also be information on regulations and limitations on the DFO sight.

Merry Christmas and BON APETIT!

Written By Amy Hancock

Photo courtesy of Amy Hancock

"How's the weather been for you?" he asked her.

"Absolutely terrible!!"  She says from her hotel room phone.  "The wind has picked up to 80km an hour, almost blows your face right off."  She continues, "and the rain, it's a torrential and seems like it is coming at me from the side, even the ground."

He tries to get a word in but she cuts him off.

"The waves are coming in like monsters too.  They slam into the rocks and white spray fires 30 feet into the air...over the lighthouse.  Everyone is yelling at eachother over all the commotion!" she tells him.

"That sounds awful!  Bad luck, huh, such bad weather for your holiday."

"Are you crazy?  These storms are phenomenal!  I am having the time of my life!" she exclaims.

Winter storms on the west coast of Vancouver Island are AWESOME!  There really is no other way to describe them. 

Ucluelet sees over 4 metres of rainfall each year, most of which arrives from November through March.  Low pressure systems move north towards Alaska in a curving motion.  At the same time a frontal wave is created between the northern arctic air and the sub tropical air and starts heading southeast.  As it moves along the pressure drops at a rapid pace towards Ucluelet...then the pressure system increases more and more...and so do the waves and the wind speed!

Photography credits to Liisa Neilsen (left) and Brian Congdon (right)

So suit up in your Ucluelet Tuxedo (full head-to-toe raingear) and go for an adventurous tromp down the Wild Pacific Trail during a winter storm.  You'll experience the fury of the ocean, feel the water spray against the rugged coastline (and in your face, most likely), and watch giant waves crash over the Amphitrite Lighthouse. 

Or stay cozy and warm in your oceanfront accommodation and watch it from behind a fireplace with a glass of wine in hand.   There are plenty of accommodation providers with an ocean view, many with special storm watching packages available.  You can find more information on our accommodation page.

Next time you plan your Ucluelet holiday, keep your fingers crossed for terrible weather!

By Amy Hancock

Harbour Lights Sail Past

It's an exciting night in Ucluelet as the sail boats, sport fishing boats, and even commercial boats deck their vessels with Christmas lights and decor and 'sail past' crowds of anxious spectators along the harbour water front.

This years event takes place on Wednesday, December 14th starting at 7:00PM.  There will be boat judging, free Christmas cookies and hot beverages for spectators,and plenty of opportunity to 'ooooh' and 'aaaahhhh' as the Harbour Lights Sail Past.

We hope to see you out there!

Ucluelet's Small Craft Harbour

Ucluelet is a First Nations word that traditionally means "safe place to land" or "safe harbour".  Situated on a peninsula, with a sheltered inlet protected by the wild, open Pacific Ocean,

Ucluelet has been an ideal landing place for sea vessels for hundreds, maybe thousands, of years.  For those boat and yacht travelers seeking moorage in a comfortable harbour, not much has changed.

The Inner Boat Basin, or the Small Craft Harbour, is dug out on the east side of the peninsula with entrance to the Ucluelet Harbour.  These working docks are made up of a series of fingers, all providing a safe moorage to commercial fishing vessels, sport fishing boats, sail boats, luxury yachts, and outboard skiffs.  Boats are coming in and out of the harbour several times a day, all year round.

Moorage at the Small Craft Harbour includes use of the harbours wash room and fish cleaning facilities, free wi-fi internet, all within close walking proximity of shopping, restaurants, and other Ucluelet attractions.  In fact, there is a restaurant floating right there in the basin!

If you have not seen many ocean vessels before, be sure to take a walk down on the docks and absorb true coastal culture.

Observe Ucluelet's fishery industry as the commercial fishermen prepare their boats for the next trip.  Compare the sport fishing boats to help you decide on a charter in the future.  Walk to the furthest fingers from the ramp and have a peek at the adventure sail boats and luxury pleasure crafts that are often tied up there.

Often in the summer shrimp and crab could be for sale off of a boat moored here.  Just a quick walk on the docks and you can find the freshest of sea food the west coast has to offer.

To inquire about moorage at the Small Craft Harbour in the Inner Boat Basin contact the harbour manager, Steve Bird, at 250-726-4241.

By Amy Hancock

Cohoho and a Merry Christmas from the Ucluelet Salmon Enhancement Society

Looking for a stocking stuffer?  Season tickets for the Ucluelet Salmon Ladder Derby are now on sale for just $35 until March 31st!  Give the gift they'll love:  a summer of fishing to win thousands of dollars.  Get into the true spirit of giving as you will automatically be donating to salmon enhancement on the west coast.

What is the Ucluelet Salmon Ladder Derby?

It is a summer-long fishing derby that rewards thousands of dollars to participating anglers with all proceeds benefiting the Ucluelet Salmon Enhancement Society and local salmon enhancement projects.  In it's first two years running it gave away over $120, 000 in total cash and prizes to happy fishermen and women and donated over $7000 to the Thornton Creek Hatchery.

Thousands are rewarded to the top fish monthly.  Then t1.  $250,000 Hidden Weight Grande Prize!!  Eligible participants will have the chance to match our pre-selected hidden weight on each day of the two-day Fish Off at the end of the season.  Check back to our website for details to come.

New for 2012

 A draw for FIVE Fish Off spots. 

Your catch didn't quite make it into the top ranks to qualify for the Fish Off?  Next summer you will have the chance to win a spot in the Fish Off regardless of your fishes weight.  Five anglers that ranked 16th through 50th place can win this draw that will take place in mid-August 2012. 

$250,000 Hidden Weight Grande Prize!! 

Eligible participants will have the chance to match our pre-selected hidden weight on each day of the two-day Fish Off at the end of the season.  Check back to our website for details to come.

Learn more about the Ucluelet Salmon Ladder Derby

Join the Ucluelet Salmon Ladder Derby on social media:

We are excited for the fishing season 2012 and hope to see you on the docks and out on the water.  Wishing you a very Merry Fishmas!

"We will start hiking at daybreak!" she said.  It is a little less impressive this time of year with the sun rising just before 8:00AM, but still, to do anything at daybreak on a Sunday is an admirable feat. 

I have been watching it for years, peering down at me every single day.  It stands across the bay, tall and green, watching over the peninsula and all who reside on it.  The large white radar globe can be seen from Long Beach. 

"What is that giant golf ball thing on the top of that mountain?"  People ask.  Sometimes they get the right answer. 

Mount Ozzard towers about 750 metres above the Ucluelet Harbour.  The white globe thing on the top is a coast guard communications station and can detect approaching vessels.  Over the years I've watched the mountain across and up wondering what our little world looks like from its peak.  I heard it was more of a walk than a hike and that the steep gravel access road winds its way right to the radar station.

The day broke and we were at the parking area just off of Barkley Main.  The forest was frosty and we could see our breath as we started up the wide gravel road.  It switched back and forth along the hillside, showing the occasional view of the Ucluelet peninsula as we walked higher and higher. 

After about an hour and a half we made it to the peak and to the giant golf ball radar station.  The view was stunning!  On my left I could see the waters of Barkley Sound speckled with the Broken Group Islands.  The mountain range spread out far along the coastline and my eyes could follow it almost to the other side of the sound.  Behind me it continued until the mountain peaks grew higher, rockier, and were covered with snow.

On the right was the panoramic view of Ucluelet.  There was our home, dotted in the rocky outcrops and spread out on the high points of the peninsula.  The Ucluelet Harbour is larger than I thought it was from this angle.  I could see the details of our boat basin, the fish plants, and all the way out to Amphitrite Point as commercial boats continued to putter in and out of the harbour looking like floating ants from my vantage point.

Beyond that we could see Florencia Bay, Wickaninnish and Long Beach.  People had told me that you can see Tofino and Clayoquot Sound from there, but that day it was all in the clouds.  There was a strong westerly swell coming into Ucluelet.  We watched the white lines come in from the endless Pacific Ocean under it was time to return to the car.

The descend back to the parking area took about an hour.  When we were back in the car driving home we spotted a curious Black bear crossing the road.  We got into Ucluelet before 11:00AM and had a late morning coffee.  What a feeling it is to hike up a mountain and back all before lunch time! 

By Amy Hancock

Tips:  If you are going to walk up Mount Ozzard make sure you bring an extra layer of clothes (it is quite frosty and icy on the backside of the mountain), plenty of water, and some snacks.  Be sure to let people know you are going and never go by yourself.  There are bears in the area so make sure you keep children close and dogs on a leash.

Last night Ucluelet, a quaint village that is usually fast asleep by 10PM, was buzzing with holiday shoppers, store hoppers, and lots of festive cheer.  It was the well-loved community tradition of Midnight Madness, a discount shopping event designed to keep Christmas shopping here in town.

There are so many unique and amazing gift ideas in Ucluelet, I though that people should be coming HERE from out of town to do their shopping.  So to all you east coast islanders, and those who live beyond the Georgia Straight, if you are looking for a cozy getaway this month you can couple it with getting all your holiday shopping finished too. 

The stores are decorated in their seasonal best.  Christmas trees stand at the end of bookshelves and garland is strung along clothing racks.  Even surf board racks are decaled with Christmas lights and last night, some lucky surfers were driving away with a brand new board at $100 off!

So besides the warm and fuzzy experience of shopping in Ucluelet - what are some gift ideas for the hard to buy for?

Christmas decorations!  Start a tradition with a loved one where you buy them a new decoration each year.  Ucluelet has so many Christmas ordaments strung in it's shops I am sure we can spare some for your Christmas tree!

A Japanese fishing float glass ball.  It is a rare find should you spot a glass float washed up on our shores from across the Pacific Rim.  It is easier to find in one of Ucluelet's gallery gift shops (and they make great decorations year round)

Locally designed and printed clothing.  Ucluelet is fortunate to be the home of many artists, especially the ones that design unique clothing with a vibrant west coast flair.

Books, books, books!  There are few things I love more than the smell of books and a fresh pot of coffee brewing.  Bring that bliss home with a book about west coast culture, legendary history, or with breath taking photography.

Something woolen and cozy!  Keep your ears and fingers warm from the west coast wintery air with a locally knitted toque, scarf, and mittens.  Everyone loves a stocking stuffed with all that warmth :)

If your loved one has been extra good this year, and if you have a LOT of wrapping paper, you could get them a new surfboard.  Ask about wet suits and accessories too.  When the surf shops are feeling an extra dose of the spirit of the holidays they usually throw in accessories like fins and leashes too!

Accommodation and activities packages.  EVERYONE loves the gift of a west coast experience.  Read the previous blog for details on awesome packages everyone on your list will go crazy for!

We hope to see you soon and happy shopping everyone!

Check out our photo gallery of a Christmassy Ucluelet Shopping Experience.

Amy Hancock

Gift Ideas

If someone on your shopping list can't get enough of the west coast of Vancouver Island, have a look at some of these great gift ideas from Tourism Ucluelet:

1 - Fishing - Give the gift of a chance to win big! Early bird discounts are available on 2012 tickets for the Ucluelet Salmon Ladder Derby. $60,000 in Cash and Prizes.
www.uclueletsalmonladderderby.com

2 - Surfing - Give the gift of excitement, whether its surfing lessons, rentals or gear for the visiting the local beaches.
www.relicsurfshop.com www.longbeachsurfshop.com www.ukeesurfschool.com

3 - Kayaking - Gift the gift of adventure, kayaking Ucluelet and the Pacific Rim through one of the local kayaking outfits.
www.oceankayaking.com www.coastalknights.com www.westcoastkayaksurf.net

4 - Spa & Fitness - Give the gift of exercise, relaxation and rejuvenation, to be enjoyed after hiking the trails and beaches or with a workout at the local gym. It will make their trip so much more enjoyable.
www.nurturewestcoast.com www.thedriftspa.com www.westcoastfitnesscentre.com

5 - Accommodation - Give the gift of accommodation, whether it's camping in the great outdoors, enjoying a local bed & breakfast, cabin, home rental, motel or resort.
www.ucluelet.travel for a list of Accommodation providers

6 - Zipline & Scenic Flights - Give the gift of air time, whether it's flying though the sky over Barkley & Clayoquot Sound or gliding down a zipline over river rapids.
www.westcoastwild.com

7 - Whales and Wildlife - Give the gift of the wild, with whales, eagles, sea lions, sea otters, bears, etc..
www.subtidaladventures.com www.jamies.com www.westcoastwhales.com

8 - Biking - Give the gift of the outdoors, bicycle rentals for cruisin' around Ucluelet or rolling on the sands of Long Beach.
www.ukeebikes.com

9 - Dining - Give the gift of flavour, whether it's breakfast, lunch or dinner, choose from one of the fine local restaurants.
www.ucluelet.travel for a list of Restaurants

10 - Shopping - Gift the gift of shopping, whether it's the local grocery stores, galleries, boutiques or second hand stores, there's something for everyone.
www.ucluelet.travel for a list of Retailers

Tips:
-Ask about gift cards and gift certificates
-Ask about discounts the weekend of December 2-4th, 2011 (Midnight Madness)
-Choose a combination of gift ideas for that family vacation or romantic get-a-away