Luxury in the face of nature's fury

A hot sauna on a cold windy night, a feast of fresh-caught crabs and a sound sleep under cougar skins -- that was a cherished memory of mine from 30 years ago. So this past winter, to help recuperate from recent surgery and reconnect with nature, a friend suggested a luxurious stay at the Wickaninnish Inn on Vancouver Island's wild west coast.

Known locally as the "Wick," the inn is just south of Tofino, less than an hour's flight from Vancouver or about a five hours by car trip from that city via B.C. Ferries.


	Beachcombers stroll along Chesterman Beach near the Wickaninnish Inn, which offers special winter storm-watching packages through February. Dannielle Hayes.

Our route over the Pacific Rim Highway proved challenging as we carefully wound through a heavy snowfall coating the landscape like melted marshmallow. Towering cedars and spruce bent and groaned under the weight. Ice filled the lakes and hung frigid fingers over winter streambeds.

Backed by a curtain of ancient rainforest, the Wickaninnish Inn crowns a rugged headland just above the broad sweep of Chesterman Beach. By our midday arrival, the warm Pacific air had whipped sea and sky into a frothy brew with a sliver of sun on the horizon. Islands appeared and disappeared in the clouds. It was a perfect day for winter storm-watching, a drama best viewed from the Wick's Pointe Restaurant.

With a 240-degree vista of the pounding Pacific, the restaurant sets the stage in warm, glowing colors. Hand-adzed yellow cedar beams radiate above a central fireplace in hammered copper. Simple beach stones serve as elegant candleholders or vases with a sprig or two of salal. Lunch arrived to an approving chorus of "ahs."

Fresh seafood chowder came in a colorful, creamy swirl. Organic "Nanoose" salad greens dressed up a chicken salad, and "Oyster Jim's" famous Clayoquot oysters made a brief but bold appearance. Then there was dessert: oven-baked pear compote in a cream cheese souffle with unbelievable black-pepper/rosemary ice cream, and sun-dried fruit mousse in a chocolate cylinder. After first commenting that "it all looks too beautiful to eat," we left hardly a crumb.


	Sunset silhouettes a pair of storm watchers near the Wickaninnish Inn on Vancouver Island's wild west coast. Dannielle Hayes.

(For a true Canadian culinary experience in the Pointe Restaurant, try the black-tea-and-citrus-cured Arctic Char tartar, followed by rack of lamb with Sambucca black-currant risotto and Merlot jus. Then cool down with a decadent dessert and one of British Columbia's ice wines.)

Later I saw the same ocean view from my room's enormous windows, or while tucked under the king-size down duvet, or from my private balcony, or best yet, while soaking in the oversize bathtub. A cozy fireplace warmed the room, and on the rough-hewn cedar mantelpiece, bird and whale books -- even binoculars -- were at the ready.

A driftwood chair by Vancouver artist Maxwell Newhouse added a whimsical touch to the otherwise simple furnishings constructed from recycled old-growth timbers. Every comfort seemed to be there, right down to yellow rain slickers for winter walks along the beach. So off I went, before the incoming tide and setting sun made it disappear.

Harvested for seafood by generations of the local Nuu-Chah-Nulth Nation and mapped by Spanish explorers, the waters pounding Chesterman Beach stretch for a mile and a half. Come spring, the beach is ringside for the Pacific gray whales' annual 10,000-mile migration from Baja California to Alaska. Summer brings kayakers and crowds, but for my visit, in the quiet of winter, the simple treasures of a tidal pool and a Technicolor sunset were more than enough.

As evening settled in, I chatted with the Wick's manager, Charles McDiarmid, over dinner. "My father was the doctor in Tofino, so I grew up on this coast," he said. "As a family, we used to come to the beach, especially during the winter storms because it was so exciting."


	Not all the sensory pleasures are to be found outdoors; a visit to the inn's Ancient Cedars Spa helps relax body, mind and spirit. Dannielle Hayes.

Recognizing the unique nature of the area, his father, Dr. Howard McDiarmid, helped create the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve in 1971.When the original Wickaninnish Inn became a marine interpretive center within the park, the doctor wanted to re-create the rustic elegance of the inn. Joining with other investors, the McDiarmid family made that vision a reality. The new Wick, which opened in 1996, has already gained international prestige as a Relais & Chateau member and is also one of five favorites on the B.C. west coast "Gourmet Trail."

Executive chef Jim Garraway cooks up a storm in the kitchens of the Pointe Restaurant. "I came west from Ontario to go skiing and never left" says the 32-year-old, mentioning his early culinary training at Chateau Whistler. A stint with Chef Ron Butters at Pacific Palisades in Vancouver led straight to opening night at the Wickaninnish.

"In high season we have 20 people in the kitchen, with everything done in-house. We try to use local produce, like greens from Nanoose, wild mushrooms, rabbit from Uculet, ostrich and venison raised on Vancouver Island and, of course, crab and fish caught right here," he added.

Using simple flavors with high impact, Garraway's unique Canadian west coast cuisine is poetry for the palate. Scallops wrapped in wild-boar prosciutto with grilled artichoke and sun-dried tomato salad whetted my appetite. Pan-seared Arctic char with creamed black radishes and potato torte in a Merlot reduction then made a grand entry. Chocolate truffles served on a slab of slate by pastry chef Matthias Conradi was a fine finale. The Pointe's extensive selection of wines compliments the ever-changing menu.

Morning arrived in a soft watercolor wash of pinks, grays and blues as I joined early Sunday strollers along Chesterman Beach. An ebb tide revealed great gnarly cedar trees tossed up on the rocks and tangles of bull kelp glistening in the sun. Pockets of snow dotted the shore while sand ripples were broken by delicate bird tracks and gently carved by fresh-water streams. Dogs dug comically in the sand for imaginary bones, then ran and leaped just for the joy of a day at the beach.

For a lasting Wickaninnish experience, the Inn's Ancient Cedars Spa relaxes body, mind and spirit. After a few medical questions and sniff test of aroma-therapy oils, I was wrapped in a cozy terry robe and given a soothing fireside foot soak while sipping mint tea.

Therapist Fiona Peters -- trained in Jin Shin Do Acupressure (the "Way of the Compassionate Spirit") -- then applied a stimulating blend of juniper, rosemary, thyme and lavender oils for a detoxifying body wrap. A soft "Pacific Rain" hydrotherapy treatment followed and ended all too soon with a gentle massage.

Totally relaxed and listening to the ocean, I thought this must be heaven. And if so, then book me for another weekend at the Wick. I'm sure it's just what the doctor ordered.

If you go...

GETTING THERE: There are regularly scheduled flights to Tofino from Seattle via Soundflight or from Vancouver via Northvanair. By car, it's a 4.5-hour drive to the Wick from Victoria, reached by ferry from Anacortes or Port Angeles. Alternately, take Vancouver's Horseshoe Bay ferry to Nanaimo and from there it's about a three-hour drive.

COSTS: Winter storm-watching season is November through February and the Wick has a Winter Storm Package from $438-$609 (U.S.). This includes two nights accommodation (double occupancy), a three-hour guided nature walk, storm caps and Pacific Rim guidebooks and two drinks in the lounge.

Midweek guests can take advantage of lower rates and the "Discover Your Senses in Four Days" package from $896-$1,182 (U.S.). This includes four nights accommodation for two, a "Signature" spa treatment at the Wick's Ancient Cedars Spa and three one-hour treatments.

A "No Stress Express" package includes two nights accommodation, round-trip air from Seattle and airport transfers to and from the Wick, from $440-$536 (U.S.) per person.

INFORMATION: Phone 800-333-4604 or on the Web at: www.wickinn.com.

Dannielle Hayes is a free-lance writer and photographer based in Vancouver, B.C., and New York City. She can be reached at dhayesfoto@aol.com, or 156 Second Ave., New York, NY 10003, or Suite 301, 1550 Mariners Walk, Vancouver, B.C., V6J 4X9, Canada.

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