This weekend was spent in stormy Tofino, on the west coast of Vancouver Island, at the luxurious Wickaninnish Inn. We didn’t do a whole lot–just ate a lot of good food, went for a few hikes and generally relaxed. Usually I’m not up for the relaxing on holiday. In fact, I’m good for exactly 1.5 days of relaxing before I need to get busy doing something. I’m hardly Clark Griswold, but I can’t sit on the beach for very long.
The west coast of Vancouver Island is an extraordinary place. A coastal rain forest, it throbs with moist life. The trees are massive, ageless and coated with moss. The ground is spongy with water, and the forest floor is carpeted with ferns and salal. On the way there, we stopped in Cathedral Grove, home to some of the largest trees on the continent (check out the obligatory tree-hugging photo). We were fortunate to be alone among these giants. The forest is aptly named. I’ve seen many of the great cathedrals of Europe, and this place calls up a similar sense of awe and humility.
Photos–mostly of scenery, with plenty o’ lens flare–are here.
DarrenBarefoot.com 
I love, love love the west coast of the Island. Your pictures reminded me of exactly why. Thanks!
meeeeeemories.
i love that area. i love the wickaninnish inn. i love the restaurant there. love love love.
My favorite picture of yours is “Julie through blinds”. It looks like you guys got in a fight and she’s outside thinking about what an ass you are and you’re inside taking a funny picture of her so you can use it as a negotiating tool and something to make her laugh and not be mad at you anymore.
Or maybe that was all just in my head, which does speak in awful run-on sentences. 🙂
I love you man.
Rob
Rob, you’re always trying to foment arguments between the wife and I. Don’t I get enough abuse from everybody else?
Ahhh, Tofino… did you see any sand dollars?