Exploring Princess Louisa Inlet Marine Park
British Columbia, Canada
P
rincess Louisa Inlet Marine ParkIt is said many atheists have gone to visit Princess Louisa Inlet but none have ever left. It is among the most serene and spectacular places to visit on the coast.
Princess Louisa Marine Provincial Park on the Su
nshine
Coast has a charm and scenic beauty that must be seen and experienced to be
fully appreciated.
Voted the "most scenic natural
anchorage" in the world, the marine park is located in the Princess Louisa Inlet
and is accessible by boat or plane only - there are no public roads. The only
entrance to the marine park is through the Straight of Georgia by way of Jervis
Inlet.
This sheer walled fjord rises to 1,500 meters at its head. Chatterbox falls is at the head of the inlet. There are many hiking trails in the 6 mile long fjord. The waters are generally still and protected.
This 65-hectare park offers a unique setting with tranquil waters surrounded by a magnificent granite-walled gorge. Cut by a glacier, the walls rise to heights of over 6,000 feet. The seawaters are warm for swimming in the summer and a cool freshwater shower can be had under Chatterbox Falls after a strenuous two hour hike up to the old trappers cabin.Until mid-June, the warm s
un melting the mountain snow creates more than
sixty waterfalls that cascade and spume down precipitous walls to mingle with
the waters of Princess Louisa Inlet below. Tumbling 45 meters at the head of the
inlet is the beautiful Chatterbox Falls, one of the most visited and celebrated
nautical destinations along the British Columbia coast.
The area surrounding Chatterbox Falls was originally purchased by James F. MacDonald in 1927 and passed on to the non-profit Princess Louisa International Society in 1953, so that "all may enjoy its peace and beauty". After years of guardianship by the Society, the park's administration was given over to the Government of the Province of BC for all to enjoy. The park was created on June 24, 1965.
This spectacular park contains 9 wilderness walk-in campsites and basic
facilities. Visiting boats can moor at the floats. Canoeing and ka
yaking provides a
wonderful perspective from which to view both scenery
and wildlife. A hiking and
walking trail enables visitors to view and appreciate the natural beauty of the
royal fjord from the tranquility of its shoreline. MacDonald Island is
accessible by dinghy. Visitors to the park should stay on the marked trails and
be aware of the presence of black bears in the area. Other attractions in the
park are mountain goats, alpine meadows and native petroglyphs.
Princess Louisa Provincial Marine Park is located approximately 38 miles (60 km) northeast of Powell River on the Sunshine Coast. Sailing up Jervis Inlet and Queens Reach to Princess Louisa Inlet and Chatterbox Falls is one of the most splendid trips you can take in BC. Calm waters and a light haze highlight the breathtaking beauty of Princess Royal Reach in the picture below.
Getting to Princess Louisa Inlet from Nanaimo involves a Georgia Strait crossing and a 35 mile trip up Princess Royal Reach, deep into the mainland interior. This is a pleasant and scenic trip. The total distance traveled for this trip is approx.150 nautical miles, which gives us two days and two night in Princess Louisa.
Princess Louisa Inlet Itinerary
Join
Takuli III for a trip to Princess Louisa Inlet Marine
Park. We depart from Nanaimo in the morning and sail 25 nautical miles
across the Strait of Georgia to anchor for the night on the Sunshine Coast near
Jervis Inlet. The next day we travel up through the winding Princess Royal Reach
43 miles, through the Malibu Rapids and into Princess Louisa Inlet. We should be
there in the early afternoon so we will be able to enjoy the rest of the day
viewing Chatterbox Falls and
exploring the inlet, kayaking or setting the shrimp and crab traps. There are
trails to hike and afterwards you can take a very refreshing shower underneath
the falls! Significant features of the park and surrounding area include
mountainous terrain, glaciers and native pictographs.
We can spend the next day enjoying the inlet. The following day we will sail down princess Royal Reach and spend our last night at a different anchorage, perhaps at Jedediah Island, Secret Cove or Smugglers Cove. The last day we will sail across Georgia Strait back to Nanaimo, arriving at the dock at approx. 5 p.m. Total trip distance is approximately 150 nautical miles. Please allow five days for this trip.