The idea emerged about a month ago. I had been out of skim-commission for a few months now due to a reoccurring shoulder injury, and have been craving to get back to Port Renfrew. Up until last week my physiotherapist was giving me the thumbs down to skimming. A few days prior to heading out on our trip I finally got the ok to hit the swell again. Instead of skimming on our trip, I decided to dedicate myself to snapping photographs, as in the past our trips have been poorly documented. I was just stoked to get out of the city for the few days.

Day1.

Rider: Scott Copeland

Our trip commenced on Saturday December 12^th. For the past four and a half years I have being studying geography and political science at the University of Victoria. December 12^th marked the last exam of my undergrad. My exam commenced at 9am on December 12^th. I sat and wrote for two hours and a half hours about post-enlightenment political thought, focusing my exam efforts on themes related to morality, capitalism and arguments presented by s Spinoza, Locke, Machiavelli and Hobbes.  A bro-trip to Renfrew was a sweet way to close this chapter of my life, as five minutes after finishing my exam we were on the road.

We arrived in Port Renfrew at a little after 2 O’clock.  It was one degree outside. Byron and Chris beat us to the beach and already had a fire blazing, helping to keep riders warm between wave sets. After sessioning until dark, we roasted a few hotdogs on the campfire and watched the sun set. Hotdogs did not provide sufficient means for dinner, so off to the Coastal Kitchen Café.

Big Fish Lodge is a super rad lodge in Port Renfrew. Chris, one of the Lodge’s owners, showed up first-class hospitality. I really cannot say enough about the lodge, except that to truly understand, one must stay there. A few weeks ago the Lodge hosted Song and Surf event, linking surfing with some top-end local music acts. Big-ups to Chris and all the owners of Big Fish, watch for future collaborations between SkimBC and the Big Fish Lodge crew.

Day 2.

The next morning we rolled out of bed and headed to the Coastal Kitchen Café for another meal. After our breakfast pit stop we headed to the beach to check the swell. According to Magic Seaweed the swell was supposed to pick up later in the afternoon. When we arrived, it was flat. Brandon and Jesse decided to head back to Victoria, as both of them had to work the next day. Myself, Scott and Byron decided to go on a mountain mission, cruising around glacio-deposited flats and local logging roads.

Rider: Brandon Wright

Rider: Scott Copeland

After a couple hours up the mountain playing in Byron’s Jeep we head to the beach to check out the swell conditions. The swell definitely picked up, but rocks on the beach were a major hazard.   Clean chest high liner was forming at the river mouth, but due to giant rocks littering the beach the session at the river mouth was cut short. We have vowed to always pack a rake and a shovel when missioning to Renfrew in the future. Regardless of the mediocre conditions, Scott and Byron still threw down.

We set up camp on the beach just as the sun was setting. Dinner considered of Kraft dinner, fireball whiskey, beer and a dozen hotdogs: the dinner of champions. We made a raging fire to keep us warm, as by the time we headed to bed the ground was completely frozen. Scott and myself crammed into his little two-man tent attempting to keep warm, as temperatures dipped below freezing.

We woke in the middle of the night to a rustling and clanging of pots and pans. Half awake, groggy and cold I instantly regretted not moving the dirty dinner pots from the campsite. I figured that a bear was making a late night snack of our dirty KD dishes. After half-hour of noise, Scott and me were both wide-awake. Scott began yelling and banging on our tent fly. Emerging out of the tent, Scott shining his headlamp and me grasping my pocketknife, we looked upon a snow-covered scene that was our campsite. There was no bear, or even animal tracks. The weight of the wet west coast snow had caused the tarp to slump, as shifts to the snow resulted in the clanking of our pots and pans and the rustling sound. False alarm. Time for more sleep.

Big Fish Lodge – Port Renfrew

Day 3.

We woke again a few hours later to three inches of snow covering the ground and out rent. After packing up camp, we headed to the Coastal Kitchen Café for another meal, as the morning tides were too high to skim. Sadly, the café owner’s truck had broken down and they were out of food, no Coastal Café breakfast for us. We headed to the general store for a quick breakfast burrito then back to check the tide.  The tide had fallen enough to skim, and the swell was picking up. Scott knee was giving him a lot trouble, so he opted to take photos while Byron charged the shore break alone. The waves were large to say the least. Conditions were less than ideal, as rocks littered the beach, the wind was blowing and snow covered the ground.

Rider: Byron Schultz

After riding for a few hours it was time to head back to reality: Victoria. Scott hopped on floatplane courtesy of Harbour Air back to Vancouver. Byron dropped me at home, and the trip was over.

I would like to give a big shout out to Coastal Kitchen Café for the amazing food, Chris and the guys at Big Fish Lodge for the good times, and Harbour Air for getting Scott to the island in record breaking time.

Till next time friends….

Brett

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