Princess Louisa Inlet

 

We arrived in Princess Louisa Inlet on Wednesday April 6 after a long day motoring from Pender Harbour.  We had hoped the SW winds would push up the various reaches we traveled to get here but nope, instead we got outflow winds right on the nose all the way.  Not much wind but combined with an ebb tide most of the way we averaged just over 5 knots all the way.  We got to Malibu Rapids about 10 minutes before slack tide and went right on through.  

 

Tied up to the dock at Chatterbox falls followed closely by Dreamer.  There was a large trawler style boat as well form Bellingham, but that was it.  New from the last time we were here are moorings for 5 boats just south of the dock.  There were 3 boats there as well, 2 that came in the just before we arrived.

We chatted to the Dreamer crew for a bit on Thursday before they left Friday morning to head back to Sidney.  The boat is going over to Thunderbird Marina in Vancouver for sale by the end of April.  Once Dreamer left, we had the dock to ourselves.  We started out to hike up to the trapper’s cabin but there a lot of deadfalls and we really don’t have the proper gear for the 2-hour hike up.  BC parks has put up 2 warning signs, the first is a general, “this trail is not maintained or marked and it’s strenuous climb.  A bit further along, the warning is more direct, along the lines of “abandon hope all who enter here!”  It was just after that sign we turned back.  Trekking poles, safety gear, water, food, emergency supplies, proper boots, etc. are a must for this trail, something we just don’t have on board.  We spent our time wandering the area around the falls and generally doing not much of anything.

 

We did get some good rain on Thursday afternoon and over-night so out with the rain catcher, and we filled the water tanks.  We planned showers on Friday, and the shower drain pump finally quit completely so Saturday, I dug out a spare water pump and plumbed it in.  Turns out the “new” pump works better the original one ever did.  Live and learn…

Sunday, we untied and meandered up to MacDonald Island to pick up a mooring for a couple of nights.  Other than Cygnet, there is no-one else in the entire inlet, a real first for us.  This is a magnificent place and has been perfect to recharge the soul. The scenery is stunning, steep mountains on all sides dropping straight into the inlet.  Its around 150 meters deep and other than the area directly in front of Chatterbox falls and the moorings at MacDonald Island, you can get right to shore with a deep draft boat.  It’s quiet, peaceful and off the grid.  Our only contact has been with a boaters net each morning by Ham to check in and let people know where we are.  This has been a perfect break from full time work as I ease into semi-retirement.  We’re planning heading out tomorrow and working our way towards Lund.  We’ll take a couple of days, no rush anymore.

 

Where the wind blows

That’s where we will head for

Bound for a destination

That we may

Or may not

Ever get to