Learning to Belong

Photo taken by Felix Lariviere

I arrived in Tofino in May 2024 with no real idea of what I was getting into.

The first thing that hit me wasn't the ocean or the surf. It was the silence. The kind that makes you realize how much noise you'd been carrying.

The first months were about exploring. Vargas Island, day trips through the Sound, learning to read the water. Surfing here humbled me fast. The Pacific doesn't ease you in. It's heavy, unpredictable, and completely indifferent to how ready you think you are. Every session taught me something.

Along the way I found my people. Outdoorsy, grounded, genuine. People who came here looking for something, or found it without realizing they were looking. People drawn to nature as a way of healing, of slowing down, of getting back to something real. Some of the best friendships I've made in my life started here, on a trail or in the water.

About a year and a half in, a group of us organized an overnight kayaking trip to the hot springs. Deep into Ahousaht territory, through Clayoquot Sound. We paddled for hours through old growth channels, past islands that felt untouched. That night, sitting by the fire, we heard wolves howling somewhere in the dark. Nobody said anything. We just listened.

The hiking here has been just as remarkable. Places like 50/50 and Triple Peak, trails that open up into views that stop you in your tracks. And there's still so much I haven't seen yet.

Cycling the road between Tofino and Ucluelet has become part of my routine. It's training, but it's also just a beautiful way to move through this place. It's slowly building toward something bigger. Bikepacking through Europe one day. Or cycling all the way from Tofino to Toluca, México. The dream is there. The legs are getting there.

This place feels like a playground where I can become one with nature. It's on the unceded territory of the Tla-o-qui-aht and Ahousaht Nations. Spending time here asks something of you. Belonging takes time, humility, and a willingness to pay attention.

One breath, one mind, one soul.