Our Story

Hi, I’m Aaron Frisby, the proud owner of the Tube Shack and Cowabunga. Originally from New Zealand, I moved to Langford in 2004. A few years later, in 2011, I took a chance and bought the Tube Shack, not knowing it would grow into such a huge part of Lake Cowichan’s summer experience. Now, every year, we get to welcome people from all over the world who come to float the river, soak up the beauty of the Cowichan Valley, and support its amazing small businesses.

My wife, Sue, and I, along with our two kids, Mackenzie and Jaxson, love spending time in Lake Cowichan—especially during the summer. Whether it’s working at the Shack, floating the river, or simply enjoying everything the town has to offer, this community holds a special place in our hearts.

In 2021, I launched Cowabunga Tubes as a way to offer a quick, walk-up tube rental option and help ease the summer rush at the Tube Shack. After a family trip to New Zealand in 2023, where we fell in love with their real fruit ice cream, I knew I had to bring it to Lake Cowichan. That’s when Cowabunga Cones was born—offering delicious, fresh-blended New Zealand-style ice cream right next to the river.

While I call Langford home, where I also run a roofing business and coach for both the Westshore Rugby Club and the Canadian Men’s Touch Program, I spend much of my time in Lake Cowichan during the summer, making the most of the season with my family and our businesses.

In 2022, I was honoured to be elected as a Lake Cowichan Town Councillor, where I’ve worked to support local businesses, promote tourism, and contribute to the beautification and growth of our town. I’m passionate about making Lake Cowichan an even better place for both locals and visitors, and I’m always excited to welcome new faces to the river!

A man and two children in tube floats on a pond, with a child in a pink tube on the left and the man and another girl on the right in a gray and red raft.
Four people standing in a row behind a painted cow sculpture, smiling. The background features white horizontal siding.
A child lying on a large inflatable pool float that resembles a donut, smiling with her eyes closed, on a dark textured ground, in black and white.
Black and white portrait of a smiling family of four, with two children and two adults, posing together against a plain background.
Three men in casual clothing on a rocky riverbank with a kayak, behind a pile of black trash bags and debris, surrounded by trees and a calm river.
A boy with curly hair wearing sunglasses, a blue T-shirt with city graphics, and shorts, sitting on a large red inflatable boat shaped like a hot dog with yellow accents, by a dock on a lake.
Three people sitting on stools inside an ice cream shop, enjoying ice cream cones, with a vintage photo on the wall and a cow-themed sign.
A woman sitting at a counter working on a laptop, with a man smiling and talking to her outside in a shed or wooden structure with trees in the background.
A young girl holding a cup of soft serve ice cream inside an ice cream shop, smiling at the camera.
A man in a black and red sports shirt standing in front of a corrugated metal wall with a black and white photograph of a group of people sitting on a log in a forest in the background.
A boy standing inside a blue inflatable tube with the words "Tube Shack" written on it, at an outdoor water park or pool area. There is a wooden sculpture of Bigfoot or Sasquatch in the background.
A girl standing in front of a large sign with a cartoon illustration of a Bigfoot holding an ice cream cone and a blue float, and the quote: "You are exactly where you need to be." The sign is located on a brick wall with a blue sky and some clouds above, in Lake Cowichan, British Columbia.