Nearby Ucluelet, another old trading port, is also seeing a tourism bump. Kevin Bradshaw, the operator of Hello Nature Adventure Tours, said this was the second year his company would offer a two-hour Winter Storm Watch tour; he guides parka-clad trekkers to safe but spectacular outdoor spots to view nature’s fury. They include a rocky outcropping known as the Blowhole, which propels storm-driven water spectacularly skyward like a geyser.
“To produce the big swell, you need over 10 miles of open seas, and then you need the wind to blow for many, many days for it to build,” Bradshaw said. “From the beginning of November to March, we get 15 superstorms that roll through—they reach 10-meter [33-foot] swells and hurricane and above-hurricane-force winds. And then there are a lot of smaller storms that roll through all the time.”
Bradshaw said that few tourists storm-watched in Ucluelet five year ago, but “the bigger resorts like Black Rock every weekend are sold out now.” Also in Ucluelet, the First Nations owned-and-operated Wya Point Resort made a commitment for its cabins to stay open year-round two years ago; this month, the resort’s on-site yurts were outfitted with gas fireplaces to accommodate off-season visitors.
Tourism Ucluelet declined to cite specific figures but said the town’s revenue from a hotel tax has grown 10 percent or more year over year since 2014.
Farther south, in the small town of Port Renfrew, Wild Renfrew has offered seaside cottages and a lodge since 2015. Inspired by the success of Tofino and Ucluelet, it first began promoting itself as a storm-watching destination last season.
“Many people still think it’s a logging road out here,” said Wild Renfrew guest services representative Sheenah Duclos. But that’s changing. “Last season we received a lot of response from our social media videos featuring the storms,” she said.
With at least three distinct areas promoting storm watching, local tourism boards anticipate more will follow.
“Tourism Ucluelet has really focused our efforts to grow the shoulder and off season; it is gradually coming to fruition,” said Denise Stys-Norman, the executive director of Tourism Ucluelet. Broadening the appeal of storm watching “has been a goal for the region.”
“Storm watching stimulates all of your senses,” she said. “You can feel the power and energy move through the ground; you hear the roar and impact of the waves; and you feel the gentle mist on your face. It really is a unique experience to be had along the Wild Pacific Trail.”
This article was provided by Bloomberg News.