October 3, 2025
Paddling Into a Winter’s Dream
By Erin Linn McMullan
“As the seasons shift and the first storms of fall begin to roll in, Tofino takes on a different energy than those endless summer days we’re used to,” says Keenan Bush, surf photographer. “The pace slows, the bustling town and beaches ease into a slow simmer, and Mother Nature awakens with powerful storms and seas. For those brave enough to play in the elements, there’s something special about trading flip-flops and swimsuits for rubber boots and rain jackets. For surfers, it means hanging up that summer suit in the closet and pulling on the thickest wetsuits, boots, and gloves you can find.
“Some days the wind howls, rain sweeps sideways, and the ocean whips into a frothy frenzy as massive Pacific swells crash along the coast. It makes for some of the most epic storm-watching conditions Canada has to offer. And occasionally, when the stars align, we get to experience the rare beauty of a West Coast snowfall; a fleeting gift that transforms the shoreline into something almost otherworldly.
“To paddle out as flakes fall from the sky and blankets of snow cover the beaches and forests feels like something out of a dream,” he describes. “On days like these, you’d think most people would hunker down indoors where it’s warm and cozy. But in reality, it’s the opposite. Visitors and locals alike flock to the shoreline, strolling, surfing in the snow, building forts and snowmen decorated with driftwood, kelp, and shells, even snowshoeing and cross-country skiing across the snow-covered sand.
“It’s in these rare and wild moments that Tofino reminds us why this coast is so special, a place where the ocean, weather, and community come together in ways you can’t find anywhere else.” Watch Tofino Surf Photography’s snow day video Here.
Siiksaanapšiił (siik/saa/nap/šiił) is the Tla-o-qui-aht word for surfing
Named by Outside Magazine as North America’s Best Surf Town, Načiks (Tofino) is within the Ḥaaḥuułi of the ƛaʔuukʷiʔatḥ Ḥawiiḥ, and its Tla-o-qui-aht Tribal Parks.
The community of Esowista is home to mułaa Rising Tide Surf Team, reconnecting Nuučaan̓uł youth to their identity as water people, learning surf terms and local beach names in their own language while familiarizing them with surfing’s Indigenous Hawaiian roots. Cuʔičḥ (winter) is the “time of great washing/cleansing-storms-time-of-year”.
This season is a natural time of transition for mułaa Rising Tide Surf Team for Nuučaan̓uł youth. With nights getting darker and the swell bigger, they wrap up their surf sessions with a BBQ, embracing coziness and community during their winter wellness program. “As mułaa, we look at this whole medicine circle,” explains Program Coordinator Cass Hale. “We’re looking at your physical, your spiritual, your emotional, we’re looking at encompassing everything.
“This is our second year doing winter wellness with our youth, and we had a lot of feedback last year that the kids really enjoyed getting together in the winter months as their team, and not just in our surf sessions and summer camp.
Surfing within town is a possibility but as Cass points out, “Outdoor ed can be such a challenge to plan,” especially with surf conditions varying day-to-day and activities and transportation booked far in advance. “We were going to go surf in town one night but we ended up staying at home in Esowista because we had the best waves.”
“We ask the kids what they want to do,” she emphasizes, describing upcoming plans for the Monday night program from a surf movie night on Hallowe’en to skateboarding, swimming at the pool in Ucluelet, and a ski/snowboard trip to Mt. Washington. “They request cedar weaving, beading, they want to do more art and learn how to cook traditional foods,” adding, “Gisele (Martin) is also coming in for storytelling.”
“We always talk about our dreams with the program,” says Cass. “We did personal development with each of our older youth in their leadership roles to see what the future of mułaa is – whether they want to go down a path with some surf instructor or even getting more water safety skills, facilitation skills, just to see what aligns with them, what interests them.” She shared with these youth mentors, “I keep having this reoccurring dream of these youth that are in the program now, are going to grow up to be our elder surfers, to go out surfing or boogie boarding with these kids and keep this circle going.” She reflects, “We’re in such a precious youth timeframe of creating – to have future elder surfers with us.”
Winter oasis
When you stay at oceanfront Tin Wis Resort, an Original Original and Authentic Indigenous, you are meaningfully connected to Tin̓uwis which means “calm waters”.
“The good news is that in fall and winter this is the best place to surf right in front of the shop,” says Catherine Bruhwiler, highlighting Tin̓uwis (MacKenzie Beach) where Tofino Paddle Surf operates beachfront lessons and rentals and the outer reefs provide a buffer from huge winter swells making perfect conditions for surfing and boogie boarding, along with North Chesterman Beach and Cox Bay when the swell isn’t too big, as prime winter surf spots.
Catherine has just returned from competing on the Canada National Team, featuring a strong Tofino-local contingent, in Surf City, El Salvador in the 2025 ISA World Surfing Games, which she explains is a non-Olympic qualifying year.
Tofino Paddle Surf, an Allied partner of Tla-o-qui-aht Tribal Parks and Tin Wis Resort offers lessons and coaching from their highly qualified team with a passion for the sport. She encourages visitors to drop by or call to check on local conditions.
With winter’s onset, she recommends families try boogie boarding as a fun, safe, user-friendly introduction to riding winter waves.
SUPTOBERFEST
Traditionally, October is the month for paddle surfers to come to Tofino,” says Coach Jake Collard, who works with Tofino Paddle Surf and organizes this annual event. “From clinics to camps and maybe just a more affordable time of year, we have been running our SUP Surf competition during this month since 2014. Hence the name SUPTOBERFEST. Our event is small as it reflects the size of our paddle surf community here in Canada.
“People have traveled from as far as Hawaii to participate in years past. The later years it has maintained a more local crew and that’s ok! We want to make sure there is an event every year for paddle surfers to come and test their skills and most importantly get together and share some stoke. Yes, there are national champions crowned but that is a small part of it. It’s really about the community.”
-30-