Surfing Mancora and Los Lobitos, Peru

Bungalow living - Mancora - Peru

A few days in paradise, August 2014. Battled some crowds for surfing and stand-up-paddling in Mancora, but we had Los Lobitos nearly to ourselves :) It's kind of a ghost town but the waves were great, well worth the detour!

 

 

 

 

Surf Trip: Bear Glacier, Alaska

Hands down, one of the best adventures I've had since moving back to Alaska in June....

A group of friends did a surfing day trip to Bear Glacier (about an hour boat ride from Seward) a few weeks ago. We lucked out with perfect conditions and there were plenty of waves for everyone! Surprisingly, water temp was a balmy 54 degrees (felt warmer than surfing in Canada, to me!) and I was even a little hot in my 5-4 mm wetsuit/booties/lobster gloves/hood combo. Got some nice rides plus a few good beatings and leash mishaps... and had a giant grin plastered to my face the whole time. At the end I had to force myself to paddle back to the boat because a) my leash snapped and b) after 3-4 hours out there, I could no longer lift my arms. I concluded that lobster gloves keep your hands toasty... but also feel like you're holding onto 10 lb. dumbbells when you paddle. ;) Stunning views in all directions, consistent waves just my size, and friendly locals - Gracias Bear Glacier, you completely exceeded my expectations! Already planning my next visit!

 

Tofino, British Columbia

Tofino, Vancouver Island, British Columbia

Back in May, on my way up to Alaska I met a friend in Vancouver for a 5 day adventure at a surf town called Tofino on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. The trip out there from Vancouver was a half day including ferry wait time and the slow, winding roads from Nanaimo to Tofino. We stayed in a vacation rental home near some world class surf breaks. This charming little coastal community left me wishing I had months instead of days there! What a spot!

Don't Miss This: Top 10 List- Tofino, BC (in no particular order):

1) SURFING!!! Cox Bay, Chestermann, & Long Beach were favorite spots. One of my first true cold-water surfing experiences, but since it was summer it wasn't too bad! Saw some whales from Long Beach's break on our first day. The surfing was definitely the highlight, and Cox Bay was where we went back to the most.

2) Wash some fine mexican food down with an award-winning limeade at Tacofino. Don't be fooled- these tacos may come out of a truck (in Canada), but this was probably the best Mexican food I've ever had!

3) Take stand-up-paddle lessons or day trip with Tofino PaddleSurf. Shout outs to owner Catherine Bruhwiler (an extremely talented surfer) and SUP instructor Neil Callaghan- they took great care of us! Loved it so much, I ended up getting my own SUP a few months later. http://tofinopaddlesurf.com/

4) Spectular rainforest hiking. We did a quickie from town through Tonquin Park to the beach, (because we couldn't tear ourselves away from surfing for too long), but there are some amazing trails all around Tofino.

5) Live music at Jamie's Rainforest Inn.

6) Take a class at Coastal Bliss Yoga.

7) Peruse the charming Mermaid Tales bookshop and quaint (but overpriced) boutique shops in town.

8) Beer, appetizers and heat lamps at Shelter Restaurant.

9) Walk, run or bike the many paths/trails between Tofino and the beaches. Explore beachfront residential roads and daydream about owning property there...

10) Catch a harbor sunset.

Tofino harbor

Leah, old roomate and teammate and one of my favorite Canucks

Tofino harbor

Don't miss a meal at Tacofino!

reppin' the U from our Paddleboards :) Go Utes!

another shameless selfie

  

Lembongan Island, Indonesia

Island Life, Part I

My second week in Bali, I switched from the Canggu surf camp to a homestay surf camp experience on Lembongan Island (http://www.kimasurf.com/lembongan-island-week.html).  Atop a stunning clifftop, I had a big bungalow to myself (and the bugs and brutal heat) and awoke at dawn every morning to accompany Wayan (and sometimes some Germans) on his boat out to one of three breaks: Playgrounds, Shipwreck and Lacerations (Lacerations was my favorite! Despite the name and the shallow reef, the only issue we had there was the occasional jellyfish sting. But the swell was not huge the week I was there.) Wayan and his adorable wife and kids took amazing care of me, cooked some great local dishes and taught me quite a bit about the culture and island life... and surfing, of course :)

After the morning surf session I typically explored the island on a rented mountain bike. The dirt island paths only supported motorbikes, golf carts and bicycles which was a nice change from the chaotic mainland traffic! I either had a super hilly 45 minute bike ride to town, or a 15 minute hike on a narrow overgrown trail dangerously close to the ocean cliffs - either way, it was always exciting! I usually did my run at dusk in an attempt to avoid the heat, and inevitably ended up somewhere near town for sunset and drinks on the water. I found great company in the friendly locals, and random Kiwis, Aussies and Canadians that I met along the way. The biggest dilemmas? Where to eat, when to take my siesta, when to reapply sunscreen, whether or not to get a 6 dollar massage or go snorkeling, and which beach to check out.... ah, Island life! This island is an incredible breath of fresh Balinese air - an hour boat ride from the mainland, but light years away in character and scenery. Though it definitely boasts some touristy resort spots, as a whole I thought that it was Bali's best kept secret!

my bungalow

view from where I slept

Morin guest house

seaweed farms near town