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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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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The Anchorage at Hardy Island is Located at the Base of Jervis Inlet

We were somewhat protected by Texada Island as we cruised 21 miles southeast from Powell River to Hardy Island. The anchorage at Hardy Island is located at the base of Jervis Inlet. We are positioning ourselves for the cruise up to Princess Louisa Inlet, Malibu Rapids, and finally Chatterbox Falls. Entering Blind Bay we found calm waters ideal for anchoring in a narrow, well-protected, cove within Hardy Island Marine Park. As we were scouting for a spot to drop our hook we came across a small black bear strolling by the water’s edge. The bear was just as startled as we were. He immediately hightailed it up the rock cliff and into the woods never to be seen by us again. This would end up being our only bear sighting during our PNW cruise.

The real reason for anchoring at Hardy Island was to position ourselves for the 46-mile run-up Jervis Inlet the next day. We were pleasantly surprised with the beautiful rock boulder island setting with several protected coves, suitable for our late afternoon dinghy exploration cruise.

On our way in this wolf-shaped image jumped out at us (above) as we made our way deep into one of the coves to anchor.

We don’t have a photo of the bear we saw. He was just too fast to run up the rocky cliff and out of our view. The photo above shows the spot where we saw him.

We especially enjoyed seeing these rock sculptures during our dinghy cruise.

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