| Tofino | |||
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| — District Municipality — | |||
| View toward Meares Island | |||
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Tofino
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| Coordinates: | |||
| Country | Canada | ||
| Province | British Columbia | ||
| Regional District | Alberni-Clayoquot | ||
| Incorporated | 1932 | ||
| Government | |||
| • Mayor | Perry Schmunk | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 10.64 km2 (4.1 sq mi) | ||
| Elevation | 10 m (33 ft) | ||
| Population (2006) | |||
| • Total | 1,655 | ||
| • Density | 157.1/km2 (406.9/sq mi) | ||
| Time zone | PST (UTC-8) | ||
| Postal code span | V0R 2Z0 | ||
| Area code(s) | 250 | ||
| Website | www.tofino.ca | ||
Tofino is a district of about 1,650 residents on the west coast of Vancouver Island, in British Columbia, Canada, located at the western terminus of Highway 4, on the tip of the Esowista Peninsula, at the southern edge of Clayoquot Sound.
The settlement of Tofino first acquired the name in 1909 with the opening of the Tofino Post Office, named in association with Tofino Inlet nearby.[1] Tofino Inlet was named in 1792 by the Spanish commanders Galiano and Valdés, in honor of Admiral Vicente Tofiño,[2] under whom Galiano had learned cartography.[3]
A popular tourist destination in the summer, Tofino's population swells to many times its winter size. It attracts surfers, nature lovers, campers, whale watchers, fishermen, or anyone just looking to be close to nature. In the winter it is not as bustling, although many people visit Tofino and the west coast to watch storms on the water. Close to Tofino is Long Beach, a scenic and popular year-round destination, at the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. Nearby Maquinna Marine Provincial Park,[4] with its natural hot springs, is located about 45 kilometres (28 mi) north of Tofino and is also a popular day-trip destination for tourists although it is only reachable by boat or float plane.
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Tofino has a small airport about ten minutes' drive from town. Tofino Airport is accessible to private and commercial aircraft. Floatplanes land on the inlet in town. Coastal fog is a common morning phenomenon in the summer, complicating access by air until the weather clears.
Accessing Tofino by car from the North American mainland involves taking a ferry to Vancouver Island from Vancouver, Powell River, Seattle or Port Angeles to Nanaimo, then driving a little over 3 hours northwest across the island, along Highway 4. Ferry access from Vancouver to the island is provided by BC Ferries.
Tofino Bus [1] also services Tofino from Victoria, Vancouver, Nanaimo, Parksville, Coombs and Port Alberni.
Every March, the migration of thousands of grey whales is celebrated with the Pacific Rim Whale Festival.[2] The last weekend of April is the Tofino Shorebird Festival. The first week-end of June brings the Tofino Food and Wine Festival, featuring British Columbia wines and showcasing the creations of Tofino chefs. The end of August brings the Tofino Lantern Festival (voted Tofino's most popular event by Tofino Time Magazine), and mid-September brings "Art in the Gardens," a two-day local arts and music festival.[3] The O'Neill Coldwater Surf Classic was held October 25–31, the first professional ASP surf event ever held in Canada.[4] The highlight of November is the Clayoquot Oyster Festival, which hosts the annual and popular Oyster Gala, an evening of local chefs competing for the favorite oyster creation, slurping contests, British Columbia wines and beers, and live music.[5]
| Climate data for Tofino, BC | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 20.1 (68.2) |
18.9 (66.0) |
17.3 (63.1) |
20.8 (69.4) |
21.6 (70.9) |
24.2 (75.6) |
24.8 (76.6) |
23.8 (74.8) |
23.4 (74.1) |
22.9 (73.2) |
21.1 (70.0) |
15.6 (60.1) |
25.8 (78.4) |
| Average high °C (°F) | 7.6 (45.7) |
8.6 (47.5) |
9.7 (49.5) |
11.6 (52.9) |
14.3 (57.7) |
14.3 (57.7) |
15.5 (59.9) |
16.8 (62.2) |
16.7 (62.1) |
13.5 (56.3) |
9.8 (49.6) |
7.8 (46.0) |
11.8 (53.2) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 4.5 (40.1) |
5.3 (41.5) |
6 (43) |
7.7 (45.9) |
10.2 (50.4) |
12.4 (54.3) |
14.4 (57.9) |
14.8 (58.6) |
13.3 (55.9) |
9.8 (49.6) |
6.6 (43.9) |
4.7 (40.5) |
9.1 (48.4) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 1.4 (34.5) |
1.9 (35.4) |
2.3 (36.1) |
3.7 (38.7) |
6.2 (43.2) |
8.6 (47.5) |
10.2 (50.4) |
10.6 (51.1) |
8.9 (48.0) |
6 (43) |
3.3 (37.9) |
1.7 (35.1) |
5.4 (41.7) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −15 (5) |
−9.2 (15.4) |
−5.5 (22.1) |
−1.7 (28.9) |
−0.2 (31.6) |
2.2 (36.0) |
3.9 (39.0) |
4.4 (39.9) |
−0.6 (30.9) |
−3.5 (25.7) |
−12.7 (9.1) |
−12.2 (10.0) |
−15 (5) |
| Precipitation mm (inches) | 435.6 (17.15) |
381.8 (15.031) |
355.1 (13.98) |
248.9 (9.799) |
165.3 (6.508) |
137.9 (5.429) |
76.8 (3.024) |
93.9 (3.697) |
133.5 (5.256) |
340.2 (13.394) |
474.9 (18.697) |
462 (18.19) |
3,305.9 (130.154) |
| Source: Environment Canada[5] | |||||||||||||
Tofino has modern cell phone and land line access (including Internet, ADSL) -- as well as television relays of CBC-SRC.
Public education is offered by the School District 70 Alberni, through the Wickaninnish Community School in Tofino and Ucluelet Secondary School in Ucluelet. The town's hospital is the Tofino General Hospital, operated by the Vancouver Island Health Authority (VIHA).[6]
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