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Princess Louisa

People We Met at Chatterbox Falls

Jim and Lisa Favors

Chatterbox Falls is a Great Place to Meet People! We feel one of the most important benefits of boating is all the wonderful people we get to meet. It doesn't matter where we cruise, we find other boaters to be very friendly. Our time at Chatterbox Falls was no different. We met lots of interesting people during our stay, we even ran into a couple we had met in Alabama while cruising on the River System several years ago, 2,600 miles from British Columbia. It's a small, small world.      On the first day at the falls, soon after we tied up, we took a walk to the end of the dock to take in surrounding natural beauty. We were still trying to absorb the fact we were actually at the falls again. At the end of the dock is a new float plane dock where, in the absence of planes, the views are unobstructed. Boats cannot tie up there. As we turned around to get a 360…

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World Famous Chatterbox Falls

Jim and Lisa Favors

Three Years Since We Last Visited Chatterbox Falls It could have been last week or three years ago, it doesn't seem to matter as it relates to our return to Chatterbox Falls – it felt like revisiting an old friend. Seems like we were just at the falls, but in reality it’s been a full three years since we last visited. Early on, we decided to stay for four days. During that time we met and talked with other boaters, had a bonfire in the pavililon, walked to the falls over and over again, took a short hike to a little waterfall and dinghied around the base of the falls. Basically we were just trying to absorb our surroundings. At one point, just after dinner the first night, it started to rain lightly, not unusual for the PNW, but what followed was unusual – thunder and lightning. We’re used to this in Michigan but not in the PNW and definitely not at the base of…

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Princess Louisa Inlet Took Our Breaths Away!

Jim and Lisa Favors

Princess Louisa Inlet Leads to Chatterbox Falls Arriving at Malibu Rapids shortly before slack, we had no trouble at all transiting the rapids to Princess Louisa Inlet. We proceeded the last four miles to the end of the fjord and the "granddaddy" of all Pacific Northwest waterfalls – Chatterbox Falls. Princess Louisa inlet is a narrower fjord than Jervis Inlet and it can have a sobering effect on a visitor once inside it’s towering walls. The mountain walls seem to envelop and suck you inside towards the apex of the falls with an uncanny stillness in the air. Unlike our last visit to the falls, which was very overcast and rather gloomy, we had a picture perfect day for our day’s cruise. Calm water and a clear skies highlighted the green, purplish snow-capped mountains hovering over us displaying their regal, majestic glory. Some of the photos were taken the day we left Princess Louisa Inlet. It wasn't raining, but clouds hung low…

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Jervis Inlet – Deepest Fjord in BC

Jim Favors

Jervis Inlet Has a Maximum Depth of 2,402 ft – We untied our lines from our slip at Pender Harbour at 7:45 a.m. to start our 48-mile trek up Jervis Inlet fjord. Timing for this trip needs to be well-thoughtout ahead. It's important to time our arrival at Malibu Rapids, the mouth of Princess Louisa Inlet, at slack tide. The rapids are located at the eastern shoreline of Jervis Inlet. At the speed we travel, 8 miles mph, it took us 5 hours to reach the rapids, from Pender Harbour. We arrived within half-hour of dead calm. You wouldn’t want to have to wait and hover outside the rapids very long or go early and risk running the narrow dog-leg channel at full force with a 10-knot rapids. Jervis Inlet is a fjord carved out by glaciers and has three arms, or reaches – Prince of Wales Reach, Princess Royal Reach and Queen’s Reach. Princess Louisa Reach is a side inlet off…

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2016 Summer Cruising Season in British Columbia, Canada

Jim Favors

Our Summer Cruising Season Will Take Us to the Broughton Islands –  Have you ever been somewhere before that you’ve loved so much you cannot wait to return? Have you ever wondered why it took you so long to discover it? In our early summer cruising adventures we never dreamed territory such as the Pacific Northwest, San Juan and Gulf Islands, Princess Louisa Inlet, Chatterbox Falls and Desolation Sound existed. We’ve returned this year to cruise some of our favorite summer cruising stops from 2013, then we’ll continue further north to explore the Broughton Islands, a territory rich wth wildlife and natural wonders. Our trip will start in Anacortes, Washington where we’ll provision and prepare for our three-month long adventure north to British Columbia. We’ll spend two weeks in Canada’s Gulf Islands exploring places we have not been to before. First stop will be Sucia Island in the San Juan Islands as we stage to cross over to Canada to Poets Cove for the Ranger Tugs/Cutwater…

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Jim And Lisa Favors, Chatterbox Falls, Canada

Leaving Chatterbox Falls, Princess Louisa Inlet and Jervis Inlet Behind

Lisa Favors

The "Inner Sanctum" And then it was time to leave, we could have stayed at Chatterbox Falls at least a week and not gotten bored of our surroundings, the other boaters we'd yet to meet or the indescribable energy of, what Jim calls the, "Inner Sanctum." Taking advantage of a picture perfect day for a photo op with falls in background. We idled out in front of the falls and basically took a selfie with the falls in the background. We like to think we'll return one day, but you never know what the future holds. We are very fortunate we made it to this highly thought of cruising destination spot. Jervis Inlet Return – we had a clear view of the gorgeous snow-capped mountains.

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Jim, Lisa On Kismet, Chatterbox Falls, Canada

Last Night Docking – Chatterbox Falls

Lisa Favors

Sitting at the Dock in the Bay, Along with Absolute, a Little Tonic and Santana to Light the Way By our third night on the dock we were really starting to feel at home as we helped departing boaters leave the dock and newcomers tie up. This exchange of boats happens twice daily at Chatterbox Falls. Seaplanes came and went and after the second slack tide of the day, the dock was full again. The beauty we saw and the atmosphere we felt during our time at the falls was almost indescribable. Hope the photos help to share our experience. Three-days Docking – Chatterbox Falls. How could we not enjoy our time at the falls with Absolute and Tonic sharing the dock with us along with a little Santana to ease nature's daily ritual as she transformed the day's blue skies at the the head of Princess Louisa Inlet into absolute darkness (above and below). Dinner on this night was centered around some…

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Boat Entering Malibu Rapids, Jervis Inlet, Canada

Dinghy Ride to Malibu Club for Ice Cream

Jim and Lisa Favors

Craving a Refreshing Cold Confection at Malibu Club One of the things we had come to enjoy while cruising in the Pacific Northwest this year was our time exploring away from the boat by dinghy. We would try to get as much information about where to beach our dinghy so that could do a nice hike and maybe encounter a freshwater lake or woodsy waterfall. On our last full day at Chatterbox Falls we decided to spend the day taking a dinghy ride from the dock at the falls all the way back to Malibu Rapids (5 miles) to visit the Malibu Club, a summer camp for high school students. First off though, we needed to clean up somewhere and we’d heard about a waterfall that might be just the ticket. Off we went, scouting out the shoreline for signs of a possible waterfall and preferably a small pool of water to splash around in. Thirty minutes later we came…

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Chatterbox Falls, Princess Louisa, Canada

Better Vantage Point of the Falls from Princess Louisa Inlet

Jim Favors

Because of the recent rain there were falls all over Princess Louisa Inlet when we first got there. While out in Princess Louisa Inlet, exploring by dinghy at high tide, we idled in as close to the falls as we dared. Waterfall mist soaked us as we floated over the seabed we had walked on earlier that day. We were also able to get a better vantage point of the waterfall in it's entirety as we got farther away from the dock. We found that using our dinghy to explore was the best way to get to know the inlet. We could stop and pull it out of the water onto some rock and walk up into the woods. We could also get close to the rock walls to investigate the flora and fauna. For those so inclined, anchoring in front of the falls is possible, providing the best viewing of the falls because you are out in front of it. In…

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Danger Sign, Chatterbox Falls, Canada

Walking and Exploring Around Chatterbox Falls

Jim and Lisa Favors

Lisa and I hiked up the path from the docks so se could spend some time exploring around Chatterbox Falls – close enough to be sprayed by the relentless down pouring of water. Peeking through the lush vegetation at the viewing spot, we were mesmerized yet again, not only by the beauty but the power and force of Mother Nature. We walked a few of the trails and noted the danger signs frequently posted around the park, we tried a few of those trails but decided they were a little too gnarly for us. We certainly kept our distance from the top of the falls as the sign pretty much spelled out what could happen. It was a drizzling kind of wet our first day at the falls, but the visuals of the fog and mist made up for our soggy clothing. We made the hike to the falls several times during our stay, but never felt like we were able to get…

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Ranger Tug Kismet Docked, Chatterbox Falls, Canada

Chatterbox Falls… Hear it Roar!

Jim and Lisa Favors

After our slow cruise through the magnificent granite-walled gorge, we could finally make out Chatterbox Falls roaring at the head of Princess Louisa Inlet. The fall is part of the Loquilts River, which empties into the inlet. It had been raining for several days before our arrival to Princess Louisa Inlet and although Chatterbox Falls flows all of the time (along with 60 or so others during the spring season due to the sun melting the snow-pack high on top of the mountains) the rain produced many smaller waterfalls. They looked like shiny ribbons on the gorge walls. The smaller falls were exceptionally prolific when we first arrived due to the recent heavy rainfall. In fact many of the smaller falls we saw upon our arrival had pretty much dried up before our departure, three days later. As we approached the dock, located just to the right of the falls, we were happy to see there was still space at the…

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Chatterbox Falls, Canada

Princess Louisa Inlet Provincial Marine Park – The Inner Sanctum

Jim Favors

Princess Louisa Inlet Provincial Marine Park Called Suivoolot (Sunny and Warm) by the Sechelt Nation Natives We felt that sunny warmth today. Princess Louisa Inlet and Provincial Marine Park was created in June 24, 1965. Sitting on the other side of Jervis Inlet with Malibu Rapids acting as the dividing point, the park is a 5-mile long spectacular fjord. The park is urrounded with 3,000 foot high, waterfall littered, snow-tipped mountains. The inlet boasts about a 1,000-feet of water depth and measures no more than a half-mile wide. At the end of Princess Louisa Inlet is the equally stunning 120-foot tall Chatterbox Falls. The Princess Louisa Inlet and Provincial Marine Park is only accessible by boat or plane, there are no public roads. The only access a boat has is through the Straight of Georgia by way of Jervis Inlet and finally the terrifying Malibu Rapids. Boaters consider Princess Louisa Inlet to be the Holy Grail of cruising! After making our way uneventfully through Malibu Rapids,…

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Malibu Club, Malibu Rapids, Canada

Transiting Malibu Rapids to Gain Access to Princess Louisa Inlet and Chatterbox Falls

Jim Favors

Malibu Rapids has Two Slack Tides a Day In order to gain access to the inner sanctum of Princess Louisa Inlet and subsequently Chatterbox Falls, you first have to negotiate the entrance to the inlet, Malibu Rapids. (This is also where the Malibu Club sits promptly on top of the big boulders at the entrance to the inlet.) Although it is unwise to transit the rapids any other time but slack tide. Slack tide is when the current changes direction and the condition in between when the tide stops going out and before it starts coming in, or vice versa. It’s at this point that the current is minimal and, in boater terminology, this condition is known as slack tide. We have evidence that not all boaters heed that golden rule (see video below). Transiting the rapids is no ordinary task when conditions are slack, let alone any other time? Before and after slack tide the current can run as fast as…

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Kismet Cruising Jervis Inlet, Canada

Jervis Inlet to Malibu Rapids

Jim Favors

Jervis Inlet is a 45-mile long fjord that leads to Malibu Rapids Unfortunately we had a rather cloudy day for our cruise up Jervis Inlet but even with the gray skies and murky waters the mountains stood superbly majestic as they lined our route to Malibu Rapids. It was a little tense for the crew onboard Kismet because we were a little anxious about transiting the Malibu Rapids. Cruising up Jervis Inlet in this immense and awe-inspiring wilderness was a little overwhelming. For most of the day we cruised solo up Jervis Inlet while passing only a few trawlers or fishing vessels.

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