Powell River Sea Kayak: Princess Louisa Inlet

Sea Kayak Princess Louisa Inlet and Chatterbox Falls, BC, Canada!

A lush Shangri-La deep in the Coast Mountains of British Columbia!

Princess Louisa Inlet and Chatterbox Falls

The journey to this recreational paradise starts at the entrance to Jervis Inlet. If paddling the entire distance you better have scheduled significant time off work. The over 90 km's one way is no quick paddle! Although Jervis is perhaps not the most fascinating of the Coast Mountain Fjords (see Toba Inlet) the destination is well worth the journey. Of course, those with less time can look into hiring a motor vessel for much quicker access.

Entering Princess Louisa, kayakers (and all boaters) need to pay close attention to the tides. Malibu rapids at the entrance to the inlet moves at a dangerous rate - consulting the specific current table for periods of slack tide is a must.

Once into the inlet, peace, serenity and spectacular scenery take over. If entering during the rainy months, or during snow melt, dozens of waterfalls will provide an initial feast for the eyes. However, Chatterbox Falls, the 120 foot feature water fall, will certainly draw the closest attention. The white wall of rushing water is a stark contrast to the green of the lush rainforest and the shiny gray of the polished granite mountains looming thousands of feet above.

An adventure into Princess Louisa is perhaps not the quintessential wilderness experience. It is, of course, a remote area and with towering Coast Mountains covered in lush rainforest, well, it is certainly wilderness. However, many paddlers seek wilderness destinations void of human development. Princess Louisa has been developed - but in a very positive way! Examples include viewing platforms at Chatterbox Falls, boardwalks and trails, cold water taps in the park areas, developed camping sites with picnic tables ( a true luxury!) and there is even the Macdonald Memorial Shelter, named after James F. Macdonald, who purchased 45 acres and built a log cabin in 1927 and eventually turned it over the the non-profit Princess Louisa International Society in 1953. (This became a park in 1965). All these developments can certainly be viewed as features which enhance the entire experience of Princess Louisa Inlet!

Many outdoor enthusiasts journey to Princess Louisa for the spectacular water based scenery. However, for those looking to get off the water and stretch their legs, a few trails are available. The less ambitious may opt to walk the 800 metres of trail/boardwalk near Chatterbox Falls. If this is a little too soft an adventure for you, a more extreme option is to follow the trail into the Alpine and perhaps even the icefields far above Princess Louisa. Of course, this option is suited to experienced mountaineers - and plan of taking more than just a day. The duration one way into the alpine is approximately 7 hours and then another half day to the icefields. Alas there exists a happy medium. Although not an easy hike, the approximate 2 hours it takes to hike the trail that leads to Trappers Cabin is worth it.