Well this is Tofino, so September – like every other month of the calendar year – is for surfers and non-surfers alike. But if you’re partial to sliding along traveling bands of oceanic energy, then September is arguably the best month to do it out here. The Pacific “wakes up” and provides glimpses of her more powerful, wintery self.
Here are a few community-powered events that celebrate that reawakening:
Surf’s Up for Autism
On Saturday, September 6th, we’ll host one of our favourite events of the year. For more than a decade now, the SUPA Society has partnered with Long Beach Lodge and other local businesses to organize a day in the surf dedicated to children and families living with Autism.
According to the website through which you can donate to the cause, “SUPA Society was established in 2012 by Dennis Nerpio and Rip Curl Canada, originally as an event called Surf’s Up. The premise was to offer a unique experience for children and families who face the ongoing challenges of living with Autism.”
Based on the Nerpio family’s experience, the event has grown over the years and registration fills up shortly after it opens. Local surf instructors from LBL and other local surf schools work together with specialized Autism Therapists to create an unforgettable day in the surf.
“Everyone chips in a little bit,” says Chance McCullough, head of Long Beach Lodge’s Surf Club. “It definitely takes a community to run an event like this, but it’s such a rewarding event. And for us, spending one day in the life of these families really puts life into perspective.”
Just seeing how appreciative they are of that free and safe space, it’s pretty touching.”
Check out this video to learn more.
Lucky Logger Invitational
Billed as an “homage to 60s and 70s style of longboarding”, The Lucky Logger Invitational is an expression of style that honours where surfing came from and where it’s wound up today. The rules are loose and the vibes are high.
Some of the world’s best longboarders are invited from around the world and pitted against a few local competitors to determine who’s the luckiest logger of them all. The word “competitor” is used lightly however, because – at its core – the invitational is a fun-focussed celebration of the more traditional style of riding waves. Toes on the nose, baby!
The event runs as a sub-contest during Queen of the Peak, taking place on the Friday, (Sept.26th) before the would-be Queens take to the seas on the weekend. Normally it happens at Cox Bay, but the waves were so huge last year that they moved it to Mackenzie Beach.
Tap into the Lucky Logger social account to learn more.
Queen of the Peak
As a celebration of the West Coast’s female surf community, The Queen of the Peak is one of Tofino’s quintessential events. Spearheaded by Surf Sister and Shelter Restaurant, QOTP has been running since 2010.
“In my opinion, it’s the best-run competition that Tofino has,” says Chance. “Kudos to Krissy [Montgomery] and her team for putting on such an amazing event. They do such an amazing job and I’m happy that the lodge is a sponsor this year.”
Last year, the waves were so big that the Princess of the Peak, a subsect of the event for younger competitors, was held at North Chesterman before the Queens all paddled out at Cox Bay in conditions that had most of the local surfers tucking their tails on the beach. Of course the girls all crushed it and proved once again that they’re a force to be reckoned with out here on the coast.
This year, the event is happening on Saturday, September 27th and Sunday, September 28th, so we’ll see what the ocean has on tap for this year’s competitors.
Check out the Queen of the Peak social account to learn more.
September Sessions
While it’s great to honour the return of our fall surf season with community-powered events, September is special for freesurfers as well.
“September is a great month because we’ve got good winds and good systems coming through the North Pacific,” says Chance. “My favourite thing about September though is the fact that there are fewer crowds. And when we do get larger swell, what that does is it opens up more beaches (like North Chesterman). So quite often you can find a peak to yourself.”
We call it a reawakening. But to be fair, the ocean never truly sleeps around here. Cox Bay – the beach on which Long Beach Lodge is located – has waves 365ish days a year. But aside from a few stronger summer pulses, the waves are generally pretty gentle through July and August. Come September though, The Pacific cranks things up a few notches (and a few more each month leading up to winter).
Come stay with us at Long Beach Lodge to ensure that you’re in the heart of all that action.