Canada Has Another Nuke In Their Arsenal

“Is that a bear or a filmer waiting for us back on the beach?” — a question I asked when offshores and deep-body shivers made things blurry from our subarctic lineup.

Surfing in Tofino has the kind of barriers you could sell to Netflix as an “eco horror” genre. In the ocean, six ton predators (formerly known as Shamu) lurk, while black bears scour the sand. Above, bald eagles the size of beagles hunt for fish, after devouring their smaller siblings. 

Most of the time, a tromp through wilderness or dinghy ride is required to access the best waves on the island. The water is deep, heavy and numbing. A bucket of rubber prevents frostbite but hinders movement. Even with booties, toes turn into purple grapes.

Why ever try to survive the rugged coastline of Vancouver Island? Unless you’ve been cast in the latest season of Alone, probably to hunt for slabs like Sanoa Olin.

The World Junior Champ made the plunge at age six, and has spent the last 14 years searching the (far) North Pacific for lonely peaks alongside surfing’s Bear Grylls.

Recently, the 20-year-old peeled off her neoprene and unleashed cold-hearted fury on Hawaii and Tahiti. Needless to say, the tropics blinked first. Watch Sanoa thaw her extremities in the three minute edit above.