A November Trip to Remember
Each November, most students return home for a week-long mid-term break, but complex circumstances, such as international travel, make that difficult for some families. For students who are unable to return home, Shawnigan offers the Wild West Coast Trip, which takes students on an action-packed tour of Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland. It is an excellent opportunity for those students to experience Canada’s beautiful, rugged and unique West Coast, learn about our Indigenous cultures, and have fun with their fellow students. Ms. Rachel Stephens, one of the trip leaders, and Grade 8 students Mikel and Pablo Neme Hagerman shared their stories about the trip with us.
From Ms. Stephens:
For 10 days in November, three of my fellow interns and I worked with Kelly and Dave from Treehouse Outdoor Education to lead a group of 22 students around British Columbia’s west coast.
Our trip began in Vancouver, where students explored one of North America’s most beautiful cities. From shopping to a Canucks hockey game, they were able to experience a little bit of everything the city has to offer. From there, we hopped on a bus and, after a quick stop at the Sea to Sky Gondola, travelled an hour north to Squamish, where we stayed in a hostel – to some of the students’ horror. The initial shock eventually wore off, and the students had a great time hanging out together, laughing, and playing intense games of Catan.
When our time in Squamish came to an end, we took the bus up to Whistler, one of North America’s largest ski resorts and the host of the alpine and Nordic skiing and sliding events for the 2010 Winter Olympics. In Whistler, we visited the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh and Lil̓wat7ú Cultural Centre, where students learned about the local Indigenous communities, and then spent time shopping in the Village.
After our day trip to Whistler, we were officially halfway through our adventure. Once again, we gathered our things, hopped on the bus, and headed towards the ferry terminal for the Island portion of our trip. After nearly six hours of travelling, we finally arrived at our last destination: Ucluelet.
Arguably one of the most beautiful places in Canada, Ucluelet and neighbouring Tofino have so much to offer. We hiked a portion of the Wild Pacific Trail, visited Canada’s first collect-and-release aquarium, and took surfing lessons (my personal favourite part of the trip). A highlight of our time in Tofino and Ucluelet was an excursion to Meares Island, where we spotted a sea otter sunbathing on a group of rocks, a very rare sight as sea otters spend the majority of their life in the water.
After five days in Tofino, it was time to say goodbye. We packed our bags and headed back to Shawnigan Lake, carrying memories that will last a lifetime.
From Mikel:
My experience on the Wild West Coast Trip was quite good because they took us to many places I didn't know, like the beach, the mountains, and many incredible places such as the gondola, to see the view and hike across a bridge suspended from only two ends.
The food was very good and the staff worked so hard to prepare the food for us. A new experience for me was the hostel, which I had never stayed in before. It was a very different experience, and in my opinion, it wasn't the best. But everything else was incredible, like visiting Flyover and other places.
In my opinion, it was a worthwhile experience because you do everything, like surfing, walking, running, climbing, and going to many malls for shopping.
From Pablo:
On the trip, we had great experiences and new adventures, and we also visited new places.
The first few days we stayed in a hotel and went to a hockey game, which I really enjoyed because that sport doesn't exist where I live. After that, we moved to a hostel, which I was honestly very scared of at first, but after talking to the adults, who were very understanding and tried their best to make us feel safe throughout the trip, I realized it could be a really great adventure.
Then we moved to a house, my favorite place on the trip. I loved it, and since it was in Tofino, we were able to surf, and for me, it felt like the best place to try it for the first time. In conclusion, the trip was full of experiences, and I took advantage of them all, from the hikes to the free time. Thanks to all the adults who took some of their time so we could have one of the best adventures.
We acknowledge with respect the Coast Salish Peoples on whose traditional lands and waterways we live, learn and play. We are grateful for the opportunity to share in this beautiful region, and we aspire to healthy and respectful relationships with those who have lived on and cared for these lands for millennia.
Shawnigan Lake School is an independent co-educational boarding school for ages 13 –18 on Canada’s beautiful Pacific Coast. Our diverse, interdisciplinary and innovative programming helps shape the next generation of global leaders.
