If you’re going to test a wetsuit, Vancouver Island is a good place to do it. Photo: YouTube//Screenshot
I grew up on the southern end of Vancouver Island. It’s not Vancouver. The island is a very different place — mostly made up of small-ish cities and charming little towns, it’s where some of the best waves in Canada are found. Tofino you know, of course, but there are countless nooks and crannies that have yet to be discovered all up and down the Pacific-facing coast of the island.
Aside from the more well-known spots, however, it can be a real trek to surf some of the waves, especially when you’re on the northern end. The water is cold and the landscape rugged. The waves are finicky and prone to quick changes. It’s not an easy place to surf, but that’s part of the adventure. In the summer, it’s mostly flat. In the autumn, the rains begin and don’t really let up until spring. If you’re surfing on the island, you’re often surfing in some pretty shitty weather — but that just makes those bluebird days that much better.
Wetsuits are important on Vancouver Island. Hoods, gloves, booties, and 5/4/3s are the norm. It’s a great place to test out just how well a wetsuit works, so Patagonia sent Paige Alms, Moona Whyte, Kyle Thiermann and photographer Christa Funk on a journey to do just that.
