For years I’ve walked there, hiked down the boardwalk trail to the secluded serenity of Tonquin Beach. It’s a Tofino beach that’s become far better known in the past few years. When I was stationed with the RCMP in Tofino in the mid 1980’s Tonquin Beach was pretty much for the locals. It was a good walk from our home to Tonquin that the kids always enjoyed. The reward was that beautiful beach, the blue water, the eagles and tidal pools. It was a special place then, and still is today.
Now, there’s a groomed trail that takes everyone to Tonquin. Even so, it’s treated with appropriate respect by all who find it. To be on Tonquin somehow instills in one a sense of being someplace special.
Since the 1980’s I’ve seen the little island of rock and trees right in the middle of the beach. Well, it’s an island half the time – when the tide is in. I’ve always recognized its rugged beauty and I knew there was a painting there. But, it’s taken me over 30 years to actually “see” the painting. Each year Joy and I go to Tofino with a group of friends. We stay at the Tofino Swell and from that resort base we explore the west coast environment of Tofino and Ucluelet. This year on a windy, sunny day, we made our way to Tonquin and even as we stepped on the beach the painting came into focus for me. While the rest of the group scattered around the beach, shore and rocks, I took time to soak in my next painting. I took three or four photographs and by mid June I’d finished the little painting I call “Low Tide – Tonquin Beach”.
It not only speaks of the special place that Tonquin is, it’ll forever remind me of those times when friends, family and wonderful west coast sunny days provided the perfect mix. We’ve been doing these Tofino visits for over 25 years now. We’re at the other end of all of that to be sure. I’m just about 68 years old now so we certainly won’t be doing this for another 25 years. I’ll never take for granted my good fortune and good health that have allowed me to do these annual visits. But when it does come to an end one day, I’ll always be reminded of those good times together with the image I created called “Low Tide – Tonquin Beach”.