Surfing on Vancouver Island can be a little tricky at times. The waves are amazing, yes, but just like anywhere else, the known ones can get pretty crowded. They’re cold and, depending where you live, they’re generally a little off the beaten path.
I grew up on Vancouver Island and live here now, and I’m still learning about it. The weather patterns are unpredictable, the tide swings are massive, and the forecasts are often wrong. For eight months out of the year, it’s raining. But if you know where to look and have the means to get there… well, you can score, and score hard. Reed Platenius knows that and he’s willing to put in the time. He’s a rising star with a fresh North American Overall Pro Junior title under his belt.
Platenius comes from Tofino, a tiny town hours from anywhere other than Ucluelet, which is just another tiny town hours from anywhere. Tofino has a handful of waves that are easy to get to and relatively easy to surf, but Tofino, once a logging and fishing town, is full of surfers. Those easier waves can be packed. Luckily, a little bit of searching goes a long way. The coastline is a rugged one, full of jagged inlets and towering trees. Finding those uncrowded waves in the area requires a boat and a hell of a lot of driving. But for Platenius, the waves are the cherry on top. The cake itself is made from the search.
