UVic prof's 'Geographies of Surfing' course teaches students on the beach
Vancouver Island is a surfer's paradise, but the University of Victoria campus? Not so much.
Less than a kilometre away lies Gyro Beach, which is lovely, but not exactly conducive to hanging 10.
The world-class surf is on the other side of the Island, in Tofino.
So what's a surf-loving geography professor to do?
If you're Chris Darimont, you create a course that marries your hobby and your academic specialty.
Darimont is the instructor for a course in UVic's geography field program called "Geographies of Surfing."
It's not a surf class, per se. Participants don't have to get on a board to complete their studies.
They do, however, have to be accepted into the UVic Department of Geography's Clayoquot Sound Field Semester program, a collection of courses offered on-location along Vancouver Island's west coast.
"(The classrooms are) the beaches and the rainforests of the Tofino area," Darimont said. "They'll learn a little something about surfing, but they'll also learn about oceanography and weather and the history and culture of our relationship with the ocean."
Surf culture, too, is part of the program.
"We'll dive really deep into surf culture and, in fact, there's a lot of surf culture right here on Vancouver Island," Darimont said.
The professor stresses, though, that the course is hard work. Hollywood surfer stereotypes need not apply.
It's also selective. The program received a flood of applicants for the current semester, but only 20 were accepted.
With files from CTV Vancouver Island's Jordan Cunningham
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Work stoppage possible as WestJet issues lockout notice to maintenance engineers' union
A lockout notice issued by WestJet to a union representing aircraft maintenance engineers could result in a work stoppage next week.
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Bodies recovered in Mexico likely 2 Australians, 1 American who went missing: officials
Three bodies recovered in an area of Baja California are likely to be those of the two Australians and an American who went missing last weekend during a camping and surfing trip, the state prosecutor’s office said Saturday.
BREAKING London Drugs begins 'gradual reopening' on 7th day after cyberattack
Almost a week after all London Drugs stores across Western Canada abruptly closed amid a cyberattack, they began a "gradual reopening" on Saturday.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Auston Matthews skates ahead of Game 7, status unclear with season on the line
Auston Matthews was back on the ice with his teammates Saturday.
Russia puts Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on its wanted list
Russia has put Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on its wanted list, Russian state media reported Saturday, citing the interior ministry’s database.
Snakes almost on a plane: U.S. TSA discovers a bag with small snakes in passenger's pants
According to an X post by the Transportation Security Administration, officers at the Miami International Airport found the small bag of snakes hidden in a passenger's trousers on April 26 at a checkpoint.