Saturday, August 3, 2013

Incinerator Beach (Long Beach)

Incinerator Beach is located at the northern end of Pacific Rim National Park and is thus the park beach  closest to the village of Tofino.

Incinerator Beach with Lovekin Rock in the distance
Incinerator Beach with Lovekin Rock in the distance
Located 32 kilometres from the Highway 4 T-intersection (the Tofino-Ucluelet junction) but only 16 kilometres from Tofino, Incinerator Beach seems busier than other beaches in the park. This may be due to it's proximity to the village, or the fact that it appears to be favoured by surfers and those who like to watch their pursuits. In fact, we first visited Incinerator Beach after we had inquired in Tofino about where we might observe the most surfing activity.

Incinerator Beach; favoured by surfers
Incinerator Beach; favoured by surfers
Incinerator Rock is a section of beach - the northern end of Long Beach - rather than a beach on its own. It makes up the northern end of Long Beach, and is a favorite of local surfers. Incinerator Beach provides plenty of opportunity to view surfers and also, if you hunt around, you might also find the occasional nooks and crannies ideal for reading or tanning. For photographers, an extra bonus  is the high rock that juts out into the water. A short hike up this rock rewards the photographer with great views of surf, sand, and surfers. 

Climb the rock for a better view of Incinerator Beach
Climb the rock for a better view of Incinerator Beach
In earlier days, long before a paved highway was the primary means of transport, a footpath near Incinerator Beach connected a sheltered bay on the other side of Esowista Peninsula - the geographical feature defining this area around Tofino - to the wilder, surf-pounded Pacific shore. Thus, canoes were landed on the quiet mudflats in Grice Bay and a trail lead to the ocean. 


Climb the rock for a better view of Incinerator Beach
Climb the rock for a better view of Incinerator Beach



Incinerator Beach is a "take your shoes off" kind of beach
Incinerator Beach is a "take your shoes off" kind of beach