Fall 2024

September 23, 2024

As the crisp air of fall settles in, the West Coast transforms into a place of misty skies and soothing rain showers, creating a peaceful, almost mystical atmosphere. The back-to-school season encourages us all to focus on learning and personal growth. Here in the Clayoquot Sound Biosphere Region, autumn offers endless opportunities to deepen your connection to nature and community—whether through workshops, guided nature walks, or simply enjoying the serene beauty of the rainforest and coastline.

In this newsletter, you’ll find a range of upcoming events and activities to inspire you during this reflective season.

West Coast Fibre Art Retreat West Coast NEST

Fibre Art Instructor Highlight: Faye Kennington and Catherine Knutsson

Learn new knitting techniques with Faye and Catherine at our West Coast Fibre Art Retreat this November! You will explore new skills through thrum knitting and creating arched gusset mittens. Catherine is a wool purveyor, knitter, spinner, weaver, hand dyer, and knitting pattern designer. Faye is known for her colorwork and quick knits. Her combined interest in design, Excel spreadsheet know-how, and passion for a pretty skein have made a good basis for knitwear creations.

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Fibre Art Instructor Highlight: Kim Leckey

Learn the art of macrame and upcycling with Kim! Kim holds a degree in fashion design from Ryerson University, and is a passionate artist and creator who has had the opportunity to work internationally in New Zealand, Central America, and California. Now living on the west coast she merges her love of the ocean and macrame with sustainability in mind to create her own style of fiber art. She specializes in using recycled, upcycled, and marine debris material to construct unique macra-weave projects that reflect the intricate timelessness of the West Coast shorelines.

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West Coast Fibre Art Retreat 2024 West Coast NEST

West Coast NEST West Coast Fibre Art Retreat

Fibre Art Instructor Highlight: Rose & Brian Wilson

Rose is a Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ cedar weaver living in Hitacu on the inner-shore of Ucluelet Inlet. She is both self taught and has the traditional teachings from Elders in processing materials and creating traditional works of art. Rose and her son, Brian, work with red and yellow cedar bark and several types of specific grasses to create clothing, hats, and baskets that incorporate traditional and meaningful designs that have been passed down through her family for many generations.

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200hr Yoga Teacher Training

This signature Tofino Yoga Teacher Training is an in-person 21 days intensive program. Their teaching faculty is made of 4 amazing senior teachers with no less than 20 years of teaching experience with expertise in the fields of yoga history and philosophy, meditation, pranayama, mantras, ayurveda, anatomy, and methodology. The aim is to offer an authentic Hatha Yoga experience.

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Practical Small Boat Captain's Course

The Boat Boss course offers intensive practical training for aspiring small vessel captains. With a focus on real-world scenarios, this challenging four-day program complements theoretical knowledge gained in the SVOP course. The course starts with a quick refresh in the classroom on the 1st morning followed by 4-days on small boats in Clayoquot Sound.

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Occupational First Aid Level 1

This course is a hands-on interactive 1-day course with a focus on teaching workers how to deal with the most common workplace emergencies. First Aid emergencies include adult CPR, choking procedures, emergency scene management, dealing with shock, spinal injuries, minor wound management, major bleeding, internal bleeding and how to use an AED (Automated External Defibrillator).

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Wild Stories Photography Camp West Coast NEST Nicole Gerbrandt

Wild Stories – A Photography Camp Recap

We were excited to host our first Wild Stories Photography Youth Camp led by Sam Rose Phillips this summer. Over the course of two days, participants explored the art and ethics of photography, learned new skills, and were able to practice capturing the beauty around them through their unique creative perspectives. The workshop offered an inspiring blend of hands-on learning and thoughtful exploration.