– Pat Deakin is the Economic Development Manager for the City of Port Alberni. He can be reached at 250.720.2527 or Patrick_deakin@portalberni.ca.
PORT ALBERNI – Their mantra is ‘You work hard for your vacations and we pledge to work hard for you’.
They have so many 5-star ratings on Trip Advisor they were contacted to see if family and friends were writing the reviews for them. They were finalists in the Tourism Category at the Business Examiner Business Excellence Awards in February.
Their guests have come from all over Canada, the US, Europe and the Middle East as well as Asia and Russia. They are the only All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) adventure company on Vancouver Island and their playground is the backcountry surrounding Port Alberni and out to the west coast communities of Tofino and Ucluelet.
On day trips they delight in showing their clientele places like the Nahmint Valley, Virgin Falls and the view from the mountain tops overlooking Barkley Sound.
For overnighters they like to take their guests to a basic but warm, comfortable and completely quiet lodge at the head of remote Henderson Lake in an exclusive arrangement with the Uchucklesaht Tribe. There the 5-star adventure becomes one of a zillion stars in a night sky not affected by other light sources.
The words and phrases which appear over and over again in the reviews would be music to any adventure business: ‘personalized’, ‘professional’, ‘safe’, ‘fun’, ‘breathtaking’, ‘got my money’s worth and more’, knowledgeable’, ‘outstanding scenery’, ‘the best gift I’ve ever had’, and ‘the most incredible experience I’ve ever had’.
They work tirelessly to deliver on their mantra, to give all of their guests’ life-long memories and to make sure everyone who goes out with them comes back safe, exhilarated and in awe of the wilderness.
Although they can take as many as 10 guests at a time, they say the smaller tour groups make for a much more personal event. Eagles, deer and black bear are regular sights on the trips while owls and Roosevelt Elk are seen occasionally.
The company is West Coast Edge. The owners are Alberni Valley originals, Blain and Patricia Pouliot. They are tireless promoters of the other adventure businesses in their ‘base camp’ or ‘trail head’ community of Port Alberni. A trip with West Coast Edge makes for a great birthday or anniversary gift or an extraordinary weekend. Give them a try and you will find out for yourself why guests call them ‘the Canadian Outdoor Ambassadors’.