Giving Surfing Lessons In The Town of Tofino, Canada, Which Was Named The Best Surf Town In North America
When people think of Canada, especially if those people are neighbors to the south, common thoughts are of sweeping mountains, maple syrup, and cold - very, very cold. The furthest thing from most anyone’s mind is surfing - a sun-filled, hot weather activity. However, there is a town all the way to the West in Canada that does provides just that - surfing in Canada. The town is Tofino, on Vancouver Island, and Surf Sister Surf School provides the service.
It isn't just any surfing, it is considered world-class destination for surfers. In 2010, Outside magazine called Tofino "The best surf town in North America" - beating out places like Huntington Beach and Santa Cruz. People have been coming to surf in Tofino for a long time, people like Krissy Montgomery. "I started coming up to Tofino on the weekends in high school to teach myself how to surf," Montgomery says, "Of course I did everything wrong, but I fell in love with it." After she graduated, she made the move to Tofino and started working for Surf Sister in 2002, managed it from around 2003, and bought it in 2009. It now has the largest all female instructor staff in the world - around 30 girls.
"We wanted to get women involved in the sport," explains Montgomery when talking about why Surf Sister started, "back then it was completely male-dominated." She says she is proud to be apart of Surf Sister, especially because Tofino has one of the highest female surfer ratios throughout the world, mostly because of Surf Sister. "It is intimidating to get into surfing at first," Montgomery chuckles, "so we figure that we'll make girls toughen up right away with this cold water."
Though the water is cold up in Tofino and a wetsuit is required, it is actually warmer than the water in Northern California and most places in the Pacific Northwest because of the Kuroshio Current, a warm water current that passes through. Surfing is done year round, with each season providing different wave characteristics. "The winters can be dreary, but the waves are the biggest," Montgomery says. Surfline, a surfer website, recommends Fall to come and surf as the waves are big enough to have a lot of fun, but not unruly like they can get in the winter.
Tofino, accessible by ferry, plane, or car from Vancouver or Seattle, is a town of about 1800 permanent residents. The town itself is one of Montgomery's favorite parts about living there. "We are a small community, but really tight," she says, "The neighbors are always there for you and most of the people are like-minded." The people come there because they choose a rugged, healthy outdoor lifestyle. "Picture a ski resort town," Montgomery says, "and it is like that, but a surf resort."
The population swells to about 5000 over the summer and when all the hotels are full, "there are about 20,000 people in town." People don't just come to surf. There is hiking in the mountains and rainforest, hot springs, kayaking, whale watching, and just about any other outdoor activity one can think of. "It's drop dead gorgeous here," Montgomery says when further explaining about why she lives in Tofino, "when I'm out on a wave and I look back and see an old growth cedar rainforest with a background of mountains, that's so great."
Of course, as a surfer, Montgomery likes to travel and surf all throughout the world. In fact, it’s one of the things she likes most about the sport. “It makes you enjoy the world and encourages you to see what else is out there,” she explains, “there are so many other kinds of waves.” Montgomery explains that in January of every year for the last decade or so, the staff who are available take a trip together and try different waves. This past January, they went to Sri Lanka together. “About 10 of us went and it was incredible,” Montgomery recalls, “not only the surfing, but wild elephants and the food!”
Montgomery likes her job because she gets to share what she loves with people learning it for the first time. “I love surfing because it’s challenging,” she explains, “every wave is different.” She says she always can get better, however it is enjoyable at every level – even riding a wave on your belly. Surf Sister teach kids as young as 6 to surf. “9 times out of 10, the kids are better than the adults,” she chuckles. She also loves Tofino and the area. “I always love coming home,” she says, “and I love showing off my city!”
Andrew Malo
A graduate of Northeastern Illinois University in Education, Andrew has taught for the past decade in Chicago, New Mexico, and Japan. He enjoys tinkering with trucks and motorcycles, woodworking, reading and computer programming.
Make Sure To Check Out:
Surf Sister, the biggest all female instructor surf school in the world. Offering progressive camps, surf camps abroad and a local Surf Club while sharing their passion and love for surfing and the ocean.