Amy Marie Visits: Princess Louisa Inlet

Princess Louisa Inlet

Can you find the smiley face on the mountain?

Hint: It's at the top!

Pender Harbor is a good jumping off spot for any trip to Princess Louisa Inlet.  It affords an opportunity to top off fuel, water, and provisions for the 40+ mile trip north through Agamemnon Channel and Jervis Inlet.  When planning your trip, you must start with determining the time of slack water in Malibu Rapids.  This is the narrow opening at the entrance of Princess Louisa Inlet.  If you try to transit this area mid-tide, you will encounter strong currents and you can see the height difference between the inside and the outside as water levels try to equalize.

You earn your entrance to Princess Louisa Inlet by traveling 40+ miles up a long fiord. It is easy to imagine that you might be in Norway.  This is a long distance at trawler speed, but time passes quickly as you are turning one way or the other to see the sights that present themselves in all directions.

Towering above the fiord walls are snow covered peaks with clouds playing around their summits. It is the melting snow and rainwater that fuels the waterfalls, rivers and streams that empty into the sea.

On starboard, near the end of Jervis Inlet you will see a long valley.  There are buildings along the shoreline.  These are the first structures you have seen in miles.  This is the site of the Malibu Young Life Camp.  The organization acquired the former resort in 1953 and has restored, rebuilt, and enhanced the property on an ongoing basis.  It now has the capability to be used year-round.

The grandeur of the fiord with the scenery reflected in the calm waters is imposing.  I always feel a sense of solemnity when I enter.  It is almost impossible to believe a place so beautiful exists. You are advised to travel at a no wake speed.  This preserves the calmness and beauty.  As the inlet is ~ 4 miles long.  It takes an hour to travel down to the dock at Chatterbox Falls.  This pace allows time to begin processing and appreciating the sights that surround you.

Chatterbox Falls remains hidden until you pass a kink in the stone wall to port.  What unfolds in a vision of high stone cliffs just below even higher snow covered peaks.  Snow melt is cascading down the snow walls, in many locations, rushing to a convergence point where the comcombined output roars into the sea over Chatterbox Falls.  

Chatterbox Falls is also a convergence point for wildlife.  Bald eagles soar over head waiting for a fish to swim near the surface.  When they spot one rising to feed on food swept down the falls, they dive and grasp them with their talons. If it is a light fish, they will fly out of the water with their catch.  If it is too heavy to allow them to get airborne, they swim it to shore, pull it out of the water, and enjoy their meal.

Here a bald eagle eats a large fish that he drug up on the gravel bar after he could not lift it to fly away

With our dinghy we traveled around the fiord to observe, up close, some of the smaller streams of water cascading into the inlet.

This stream emanates from the base of a tall waterfall on the east side of the inlet.

Beth took her roll of waterfall spotter very seriously

Retirement agrees with her.

Back at the boat I find a good place to read my eBook

Yes, retirement agrees with me too!

All it takes is a hot cup of coffee to start Beth's day off right!

Amy Marie seems tiny in comparison to the majesty of the inlet.

There are trails from the dock over to Chatterbox Falls.

The forest was incredibly dense with moss covered trees, berry bushes along the paths, and extremely healthy ferns in abundance.

This pavilion provides shelter from the constant moisture near the falls

Mike visits Chatterbox Falls

Beth at Chatterbox Falls

A Bit of History

In 1927, James F. “Mac” MacDonald purchased forty-five acres of land at the head of the inlet and built a log cabin. He became the unofficial laird, custodian, and guardian of Princess Louisa Inlet. And for years, Mac offered hospitality to any visitor to the area.

In 1953, he deeded his property to the boaters of the Pacific Northwest in hopes that the natural beauty of the area remained unspoiled. To maintain the perpetual trust, the non-profit Princess Louisa International Society was formed.

In 1965, the entire inlet was declared a recreation area by BC Parks. With MacDonald's blessing, the property was turned over to the Parks Department and turned into a Provincial Marine Park. The Princess Louisa International Society continues to play an active role in the conservation and management of the park.

Our final day at Princess Louisa began early.  Slack water at Malibu Rapids was at 6am. So, we had to leave the dock at 5am.  The morning stillness was pervasive.

Leaving the dock, I check the depths and the charts to insure I'm in safe water.

On our trip to the entrance, we chased the overnight clouds from the inlet.

As we passed the large stone nose of the cliff face, the entrance gap came into view.

Two sailboats are tied to mooring balls near McDonald Island.

The low clouds persist and obscure our view of the canyon walls.

Finally, we close the distance with Malibu Camp and the entrance rapids. 

\

In the morning twilight, you can see the buildings still have their outdoor lights illuminated.

We are at the rapids at the end of a flood tide.  The water is high.

There is no action visible in the lodge at this time of morning.

The swimming pool is just below the lodge.

Young Life has been good stewards of the lodge.  It looked well maintained.

We successfully weave our way through Malibu Rapids.  They are calm at slack water.  We pass the entrance channel marker and are in Jervis Inlet to begin our run to the town of Egmont.

On our journey south we were treated to good views of the surrounding mountains.  This is an incredibly rugged country.  We were blessed that we were able to travel here and enjoy its beauty.

We were able to watch the sunrise and watched color and light return to the mountains and sky.

I'm hopeful that someday we can return to enjoy the beauty of Princess Louisa Inlet.