Water's Edge Ucluelet Blog

By Jacqueline Windh

Yes, you heard that right.

Many people want to do the right thing both environmentally and healthwise, but lament the high price of local organic food.

Well, out here on the west coast, we have local organic food available for free, six months of the year!

Wild berries are one of the most delicious and easy-to-find food sources here on the west coast. And yes, the season really does run for six months or more. The first salmonberries appear in May, and evergreen huckleberries (also known locally as cinamock or winterberries) remain good for the picking in the cool temperatures of early winter, through November and even December.

> Read more on the A-Life Blog

By Jacqueline Windh

This long-running annual festival presents a lot more than just fun. Ukee Days is also a window into Ucluelet’s logging heritage, both past and present. The rich natural resources of the west coast: furs, fish and timber were what drew Europeans to this coast.

In the Ucluelet, one of those very first European settlements was the Sutton brothers’ sawmill, established in 1861—you can still see the site of that original mill across the harbour from the Ucluelet docks.

Logging and fishing were the two industries that drove this remote outpost into the town that it is today.

Although logging is no longer the mainstay of Ucluelet’s economy, many of Ukee’s logging families still live in town and some of them still work in the industry.

> Read more on the A-Life Blog

By Cassandra Anderton

During the month of May and into the first week of June, Tofino and Ucluelet are hosting Feast, a multi-venue celebration of all good things food and wine related in the area.

While there are always many culinary adventures to be had in the area, this is an opportunity to really delve into the local food culture. 

By Brent Baker

For the past five years, Tofino and Ucluelet have been making waves for the high calibre of food and fine dining that is widely available. 

Periodicals such as Eat Magazine and numerous food bloggers have covered the Pacific Rim dining scene for years.  Events like the Tofino Food and Wine Festival and the Pacific Rim Whale Festival provide the opportunity for many of our culinary craftspeople to showcase their talents and represent the high-end establishments that make up the majority of our dining options.

By Jacqueline Windh

Winter is not as slow a time out here on the wet West Coast as it used to be. But January is still one of our quietest times - especially as far as culinary options go.

You won’t find many commercial chains in Tofino and Ucluelet at all, particularly regarding restaurants.

The good side of that is that most of our restaurants are operated by their owners: people who really care about the food they serve and their clients, and who craft menus that reflect their own creative spirit and who source fresh local ingredients.

The challenging side of that is that these owners need a break, too - and the January slow season is the time that many of them take it. Which means that, for both locals and visitors, restaurant options may be slim this time of year.

So it’s a sure sign of spring when the restaurants start to open again.

By Brent Baker

This April will mark my fifth full year living in Tofino. I learned to surf, tried all the restaurants, hiked many of the trails and even canoed to Hot Springs Cove. 

But there is one activity that I am sure to make time for at least once a year: charter fishing.

Growing up in Ontario and spending summers at a cottage, I have very fond memories of going out with the whole family to catch some fish and having a lot of laughs. Back then it was mostly small fish, but they felt really big at the time.

The Tofino-Ucluelet areas of the West Coast of Vancouver Island boasts some of the world's most diverse and beautiful outdoor adventure opportunities; from kayaking the Broken Group Islands and diving in the Pacific to salmon fishing and nature hiking, Tofino-Ucluelet offers an adventure for everyone.

If you're visiting Tofino-Ucluelet this summer, make sure you plan to experience as many of these activities and attractions as you can to truly discover Vancouver Island's wild West Coast.