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 the 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 view, we saw a couple on the back of their boat, Phoenix, closest to the float plane dock, they were relaxing, taking in the view during Happy Hour.

We struck up a conversation that kind of went like this: They to us, “What boat are you on?” “Where are you heading to this summer?” “Have you been here before?” etc, etc. With an ongoing exchange of information, they learned we were on a Ranger Tug and, like us, they had done the Great Loop. We finally got some dates out and realized we were probably at one of the Great Loop Rendezvous at the same time. Cathryn was now on the edge of her seat as she asked if we knew the Favors. I said, “We are the Favors.”

Apparently, we were a little rough looking around the edges with hats and sunglasses on. Long story short, we had spent two hours with Cathryn and Bob on our boat in Alabama at Joe Wheeler State Park, America’s Great Loop Cruisers’ Association Fall Rendezvous in 2013. They were very interested in the Ranger Tug line of boats and wanted to know more about our experience with Kismet.

We also met Pauline and Ed, on Spirit, a sailboat (above). Ed and Pauline are from Victoria, BC, they are seasoned sailors with many stories to share. Spirit was docked at the falls when we got there and left the same day we did.

On the second day, we met three guys on a sailboat, they were out for a 10-day cruise. The three friends, in their late 50s or so, have been friends in Long Island since grade school, they played football together, and every few years since they take a trip together. One of the guys lives on Vancouver Island. They looked like they were having fun.

Of course, we met the crew on Adelante (below) that beautiful classic old wooden boat tied up just across the dock from us.

A young man arrived on the dock by paddle board the afternoon of our ice cream run. We first saw him the day of our cruise up Jervis Inlet, looked as though he had been swimming and was climbing the rocks on the shore. Our second sighting was when we departed the Malibu Club on the return trip of the dinghy ride after getting ice cream. He was standing on his board zipping through the rapids, he was going so fast, that someone commented they thought he must have a small motor on the board. Then we realized, he was just riding the rapids on the flood tide.

Shortly after meeting Matthew on the dock that afternoon, we invited him to our boat for a hot breakfast the next morning. We wanted to learn more about him and his adventurous trip and what young man doesn’t need to fuel up with a hot breakfast when on an adventure.

Breakfast with Matthew

The next morning we found out that Matthew lives and works at Tours With Locals in Vancouver and decided he wanted to paddle his board the entire 48 miles up to the falls. He paddled during the daytime and camped overnight on the rocks along Jervis inlet. After three days, he arrived at Malibu Rapids and the falls – that’s a long way to paddle. We had a great conversation during breakfast, we found out that his entire family has moved out west from the Toronto area. He enjoyed his four-day adventure and plans on doing more solo trips in the future.

We helped Mike and Sandy, on Journey, an American Tug, tie up at the dock one day. We found out they keep their boat in the PNW but are from Arizona. They offered us a dinghy ride up to the Malibu Club, a Young Life Club, and Youth Summer Camp located at Malibu Rapids. They had not been to the club before, so we told them about the informative short tour of the grounds the club gives people who arrive by boat. The club happily provides a guide to show visitors around and cite the history of the Malibu Club. We also mentioned they have an ice cream shop there. They immediately said, “Let’s go!”

Minutes after they got settled in at the dock and took a quick walk unto the falls and back, we all piled into their roomy dinghy for the 4-mile ride up Princess Louisa Inlet to the Malibu Club. They must have been craving ice cream like we were. I had to have a double scoop – some things you just can’t keep in a small refrigerator on a small boat.

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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 pavilion, 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 a mountain range. It sounded eerie as thunder echoed throughout Princes Louisa Inlet.

Giving the Chatterbox Falls her due

One interesting thing we observed this time while docked at Chatterbox Falls was surprising to us. Many boats come in to hurriedly check out the falls only to either leave the same day or early the next. We are not talking about the tour boats or float planes, ones that bring visitors for a short visit and then leave. Trawlers and sailboats quickly came and went. It surprised us greatly that the spirit of Princess Louisa didn’t grab hold of them as it had us. It seemed to beg us to linger to soak up the experience for at least a few days. At the very least the 48-plus-mile trek to the falls seems to command us to give her its due.

Four days and nights immersed in some of Canada’s most pristine natural beauty. Time spent at the dock was peaceful and extremely relaxing. We had no drinkable water (there are water spigots interspersed on the dock, it must be boiled before consuming), no electronic connectivity, save our inverter and generator, no cell or internet, and of course, no TV signal. It felt great to be out of the loop, stress-free, with no worries or cares other than wondering whether it is going to rain or not.

We met the crew of Adelante, a classic 42′ old wood built-in 1929 by the Grandy Boat Company.

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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 its 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 sky 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 throughout the fjord-like wispy cottony ribbons as we plowed through the jello-like smooth water. A photographer’s dream stage.

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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-thought-out 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 traveled, 8 miles mph, it took us 5 hours to reach the rapids, from Pender Harbour. We arrived within a half-hour of dead calm. You wouldn’t want to wait and hover outside the rapids very long or go early and risk running the narrow dog-leg channel at full force with 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 Queen’s Reach. At the end of Princess, Louisa Reach is Chatterbox Falls, our destination for a four-day stay.

The last time we cruised Jervis Inlet, it was very cloudy, but today was all blue skies. As you can see in the photos we had very calm water most of the way up.

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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 with 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. The 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 Cruise Event. When we leave there we’ll be stopping in little ports along the way on Pender, Salt Springs, and Vancouver Islands. From there we’ll cruise east to Canada’s mainland to make the trip up Jervis Inlet to Chatterbox Falls before heading north to Desolation Sound to spend a month soaking up some of the remote island nature in some of Canada’s most pristine, natural beauty. From Desolation Sound we’ll head through the island waterway as far as the Broughtons to explore. We always love a new adventure and we’ve been told, by others we know who have cruised these waters, that the Broughtons will not disappoint. After the Broughtons, we’ll turn south and cruise back to the San Juan Islands after crossing the border to the US at the end of August in time to celebrate Labor Day and attend the yearly Ranger Tug/Cutwater Rendezvous in Roche Harbor.

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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 the 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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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-day 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 head of Princess Louisa Inlet into absolute darkness (above and below)?

Dinner on this night was centered around some salmon we bought and froze earlier, it was accompanied by some boiled potatoes and kale with hot peppers and bacon. All this fresh air is making us hungry.

We spent the early evening helping boats leave the dock (above) as they left to catch the second slack tide of the day and greet boats that came to the falls during the same tidal event. This evening we welcomed 10 Pound Hammer, a red-hulled Ranger Tug just like ours.

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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 to the approximate spot we’d been told about, we tied the dinghy to some boulders and began our short hike up some rugged terrain. What we found was a waterfall and rocky riverbed that had found its way from somewhere 3,000 feet above. Over the years natural pools of waist-deep water, lined by rocks, boulders, and fallen tree remains, had been created, making it the perfect place for a refreshing dip or, in our case, a fresh air bath. The water was a bit nippy at first but we soon got used to it.

We stopped at this dock located at an anchorage spot, the golden mossy boulders stood out in great contrast to the surrounding forest, water, and sky.

Now that we were all cleaned up it was time for our dinghy ride to Malibu Rapids for a visit to the Malibu Club, where we had heard they sold ice cream, it was a hot day and this sounded like a great treat for us. Malibu Club was created in 1941 as a high-end resort for the likes of John Wayne, Bing Crosby, and Bob Hope. It has been owned by Young Life, a Christian organization, since 1953 and is run as a summer camp for teenagers. Upon arrival, we had a guided tour and a short history lesson about the facilities by one of the campers, then we found a great vantage point to watch a few boats ride the forceful current of the rapids into the inlet as the tide was coming in. Later we sat on the lawn in front of the cafeteria and had a long overdue ice cream treat.

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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 any case if you arrive and the dock is full, you may want to set your anchor in front of the falls while you are waiting.

The falls (above) were created by the heavy rains we have been experiencing of late. If you’re interested in some scenic property, there’s a lot for sale (below).

These painted circles mark a stake and rope a boater can tie their stern off of to anchor more securely. There are only a few of these around the park.

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Lisa and I hiked up the path from the docks so we could spend some time exploring Chatterbox Falls – close enough to be sprayed by the relentless downpouring 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 enough of it.

The inscription on the plaque (above) reads…

James Frederick MacDonald

1889 – 1978

Laird of the Inlet
Gentleman
Friend to all who came here

Whose monument is this place
of beauty given by him to the
yachting fraternity of the Pacific
Northwest so that it will remain
forever unspoiled.

Walking the Beach at Low Tide…

When the tide, which changes by as much as 15 feet, was at its lowest point we ventured out onto the rocky exposed seabed, in front of the falls, in order to get a better direct view.

Back at the Dock…

Back to the boat to dry off and make lunch, something hearty to fill us up after all the hiking and fresh air.

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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 dock for us to tie up to for our allotted three-day stay. The dock is provided by Princess Louisa Park. The rules at the dock are simple. Dockage is limited to 72 hours of usage per boat, the maximum length of the vessel must not exceed 55 ft., quiet time is from 11 pm to 7 am, and generator usage is allowed only during the posted times, 9 am to 11 am and 6 pm to 8 pm.

With room for only about 20 boats at the dock and limited anchorage opportunities nearby, the docks at Chatterbox Falls never seemed crowded to us, which made our visit more enjoyable. Having arrived somewhat late in the day, we quickly tied up to one of the last spots available at the dock – our new dock mates helped us to secure our boat, introductions soon followed, then we settled in to enjoy the sights surrounding the dock and enjoying the steady water music from the falls, all from the cockpit of Kismet.

The next day we woke up to a rainy, foggy inlet. Boaters who had stayed their allotted time at the dock were evacuating a little before the early slack tide occurrence to time their transit of Malibu Rapids, leaving the dock at Chatterbox Falls fairly empty looking.

You can see the falls from the dock at Chatterbox Falls (just above the sailboat – above and below)

You wouldn’t want to accidentally walk on one of those Lions Mane Jellyfish during low tide (below)

The dinghy dock is also the entrance to the parkland where you can hike on a trail up to view the falls.

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We felt that sunny warmth today.

Princess Louisa Inlet and Provincial Marine Park were created on 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 surrounded by 3,000-foot-high, waterfall-littered, snow-tipped mountains. The inlet boasts about 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, we slowly cruised the length of the inlet in relative silence. We glided through the tranquil waters by the granite-walled, glacier-cut gorge in complete awe of the phenomenal sights being presented to us. Surrounding us were tall cliffs, snow-capped peaks, mirror-like water, and something intangible that is hard to describe.

Glaciers carved the now-standing, 7,000-foot, almost completely enclosed granite-walled fiord. Much like a placid mountain lake, but with constantly changing tides. There are no currents except at Malibu Rapids

Our first sighting of Chatterbox Falls (below) took our breath away. Since it had been raining a lot in this area, the mountains sported waterfalls everywhere it seemed, but none could compare with the famous Chatterbox Falls.

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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 the 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 seven to ten knots around the bend at Malibu Rapids. So you can imagine how treacherous it can be having that current push you around like a little toy boat through a narrow winding opening surrounded by huge boulders all around you, above and below the water.

More Info here about safe cruising through Malibu Rapids.
VHF Securité Call and Malibu Rapids

Since there are only two slack tides per day and no reasonable place to anchor during the last 30 miles of Jervis Inlet, we planned our cruise to arrive shortly before slack tide. This way we could assess the situation and watch a few other boats go through. Timing our arrival required a bit of calculating on our part. We took our time leaving our anchorage that morning at Hardy Island and leisurely cruised up Jervis Inlet so we could arrive at Malibu Rapids before the second slack tide of the day. Much like Desolation Sound, we were surrounded by so much natural beauty we kept rubbernecking from port to starboard side during our cruise up the 1 to 1.5-mile wide Inlet. The closer we got to Malibu Rapids the more spectacular the scenery became.

Little did we know that what awaited us, inside Princess Louisa Inlet, is even more jaw-dropping.

Just as planned, we arrived 30 minutes before the scheduled slack tide and took our time to watch a few of the boats already lined up take their turns at the narrow doglegged channel before we made a securite call ourselves to announce our intentions. The waiting and not having prior experience under our belts was actually more nerve-wracking than what the actual transit turned out to be. I guess that’s what comes with careful planning and execution of a difficult task, making the long-considered challenge a bit anti-climactic in the end.

Leaving the rapids behind us (above) and we headed into Princess Louisa Inlet (below).

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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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