It’s striking how quiet it is here in Tofino. Instead of city beaches dense with crowds and media, the coast is lined instead with forests so thick that you can't see through the first couple of trees. Maybe there’s a bear passing by occasionally.

I notice the ocean up here is a heavier water and has a slower pulse. And everything just seems a little bit bigger. When I paddle out, I notice below the water is another forest of bull kelp so big and chunky I’m running into it on my surfboard.

Raph Bruhwiler is our host, taking us out to fish, explore the unique coastline, and show us everything his backyard has to offer. When Raph takes us fishing, if we don't have a fish on the line within a minute, he says, "Okay, let’s go to the next spot." And we’ll quickly catch lingcod and vermillion. I've never actually experienced that much activity in the ocean before.

Later we walk about a kilometer along an empty stretch and come upon a beautiful waterfall right on the beach. There are fun waves out the front, and we're cooking fish we caught over an open fire in the sand. It’s quite magical.

On the heels of my win, taking off for a new place in the middle of nowhere is a bit of a shock to the system. I am going from an absolute high in my career and a frenzy of parties and media events and feeling like a rockstar, to being here on this remote coast with new friends, the bears, and the calm of sitting around a fire, sharing stories. And if we get surf, it’s a bonus. I can feel myself kind of returning to human again.

This experience here has been a timely reminder that trophies are trophies, but I'm just a human being who loves to surf and go on adventures with friends. This is really what makes life. And it turned out to be the perfect celebration.