Tofino resort experiences 'perfect storm' during extreme wave warning event

Samantha Hacketthas seen a lot wild storms during her time working at Long Beach Lodge Resort in Tofino but the high waves that came with Thursday's extreme storm surges were afirst.

"With the high tide and the swells at the same time...it's the highest waves reaching over the top of our property that I've seen in the 10 years I've been here," said Hackett, the resort's business manager.

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Wildwaves

Parks Canada issued an extreme wave hazard advisory Thursday for the areas in and around the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve.

Ocean swells reaching up to ninemetres arepredictedand high tides of up to 3.6 metres are expected to compound the wave hazard.

"All of a sudden it would look like there was enough beach to walk on," said Hackett.

"And then one surge, one big wave comes andall of a sudden there's no beach. We havesalal bushes right at the edge of our property and the waves were able to crest right over the tops of them."

One large swell pushed a massive log up onto the property and popped off the railing to the beach entrance.

Tofino High Tide Wave

7 years ago

Duration 0:18

A wave breaks over Long Beach and on to a patio sending visitors to the Long Beach Lodge in Tofino running.

'Bad weather, good times'

Tourism Tofino directly markets storm season to bring in tourists in the off season to enjoysideways rain and big surfwith the tag line 'Bad weather, good times'.

"This is the epitome of our storm season," said Hackett. "It was the perfect storm everything lined up for that perfect storm."

But the perfect storm can also bring an unexpected downside. The lights were flickering Friday morning at the resort,and by one p.m.the power was out.

'You can feel it'

Caroline Woodward, lighthouse keeper atLennardIsland nearTofino, reports weather conditions to Environment Canada seven times daily.

She told All Points West hostJason D'Souzathat winds during the week exceeded 108 kilometres per hour and storm swells were up to nine metres.

"It's been quite thrilling," said Woodward, who compared the sound of the waves slamming intothe island to a sound system with a pounding bass.

"You can feel it...it's a big bombardment of all of your senses."

Parks Canada updated its advisory Friday, saying "violent and unpredictable surges exceeding three metres in height will be expected on rocky shoreline and headlands.' It added the warning is extended to Monday.

With files from All Points Westand Bridgette Watson.