Archive for the ‘Jervis Inlet’ Category

Kent took these photos in Jervis Inlet and Princess Louisa Inlet in April.

The first two show Native Indian writing on the rocks. These hieroglyphics were painted on the rock face thousands of years ago! There are more in the Inlet and we’ve searched a couple of times, but without someone to actually show us, it’s difficult to spot them. Imagine withstanding the elements this long!

The totem pole stands guard at Malibu, the Young Life camp at the entrance to Princess Louisa Inlet.

Picturesque Chatterbox Falls

Isn’t the amount of water pouring over these falls incredible? Imagine the electricity which could be generated from the amount and continual force of the water pouring into the ocean. I wish we could harness it to help power the world and supply clean drinking water!

Our friend Gerry invited Kent to go with him and two other guys for a week long trip aboard the ‘Ocean Spirit’ to Princess Louisa Inlet in Jervis Inlet. The four of them were meeting up with 2 other boats of ‘guys’ for a prawn fishing expedition and a lot of fun!

Yes, they did trap lots of prawns - around 2000 to split between the 4 of them and I’m sure there will be plenty of funny stories coming out over the next few months as they get together to reminisce.

Kent took lots of photos - he has a really good digital camera with a zoom lens so he was able to get shots of the snow covered mountains, waterfalls and scenery.


Malibu in the Distance

Chatterbox Falls, Princess Louisa Inlet

Freil Falls, Hotham Sound

ETGord Phone Home!

The guys wandered around the buildings of Malibu, and looks to me as though they had a few laughs!

Gerry’s brother Gord sent a survival hat home to me, via Kent. It’s a grey waterproof tight fitting cap with a lightbulb on the top. It has a wire with a thingy-ma-bob on the end that makes the light bulb come on when it gets wet. I asked Kent why Gord sent it for me and his answer was, “Gord says it’s for YOU, because he doesn’t care what happens to ME”. I had to ask a second time WHY for me… okay, I guess Gord wants my hypothermic body to be found.

Whatever, I think I’ll wear it for Hallowe’en or perhaps to the IZEAFest…

Princess Louisa Inlet is one of the top power boating destinations in the world - I don’t know to whom I should give credit for that statement….. some smart person though.

Friday August 10 2007 at 0600 Kent pushed us off from Pop’s dock in Egmont to begin our overnight trip to Princess Louisa. I rolled over in bed when I heard the engines start and drifted back to sleep listening to the soothing rumble.

My brother Graeme was up to help Kent pull the prawn traps which were set near “Lonetree Island” at Egmont Point. The actual name of the unhospitable rock which the seals call home, is Miller Islet, but as ‘locals’, we have our own names for many places around Egmont! Kent and Graeme hauled in about 50 prawns - not a very good set - just enough to make chowder.

Lise, my sister-in-law and I enjoyed our sleep-in! We were up and ready for breakfast at 0900. I made porridge and Lise cut up some fruit and we all enjoyed the scenery of Jervis Inlet. The wind was blowing of course but the sun was peeking out from the clouds.

Our friend, Charlie left his home at Earl’s Cove at 0530 in his kayak, heading toward Princess Louisa to meet us for the night. We knew he was ahead of us and we soon caught up to him just past Dacres Point. He was battling wind and current but was in good spirits so we carried on with a plan to talk on the VHF radio on the hour and to meet him at Malibu for ice cream at 1500.

Kent took us in close to shore in Vancouver Bay where BCFP, British Columbia Forest Products, built and operated the largest logging camp in Jervis Inlet.

This is a photo of a photo taken in the 1960’s showing the housing of the booming logging industry camp. The property is now owned by the Sechelt Indian Nation and used as a retreat. (TB, the current caretaker of the lodge and property recently gave us a tour of the lodge and when he showed us the photo I asked to take a photograph.)

Kent, Graeme and I reminisced about Jervis Inlet logging camps of the first half of the 20th century. Pop’s father owned or shared an interest in various camps in the early 1900’s but lost everything due to a shady partner and World War I.

Next up Prince of Wales Reach was Brittain River, where BCFP operated another large logging operation prior to moving to Vancouver Bay. In the 1950’s Egmont was in need of a community hall and Pop suggested he might have a lead on a building. He went by boat, his troller the Maryann W, to Brittain River to speak to the foreman who was in charge of shutting down the camp and moving equipment and buildings. Pop asked if there was any chance of buying their large hall and the foreman said absolutely - he’d sell it to the town of Egmont for $1.00 to legalize the transaction. The foreman said he’d have his crew cut the hall in half, re-inforce the cut ends and move the 2 pieces on skids to the water’s edge. Pop organized the boats to tow 2 floats to Brittain River, the 2 halves of the building were loaded aboard and Egmont had a community hall!

Stakawus Creek, Sechel Creek and Deserted Bay were other points of interest but without Pop along to tell us his memories we didn’t find a lot of interest.

Malibu, the Young Life Camp, at the entrance to the Malibu Rapids was alive with colorful towels and clothing draped on the railings to dry in the sun. I love seeing that ‘international flag’ of the young people staying in the camp and hope Malibu never puts in enough clothes dryers to accomodate them all!

The current was running out and the rapids were swirling and buffeted the boat as Kent confidently, and competently, took us through into the calm beauty of Princess Louisa Inlet with mountains towering over us.

We could see glaciers on the peaks of distant mountain tops and the gouges left behind from centuries of ice movement. Again we talked of one of Pop’s stories of him and Mom anchoring his boat in Princess Louisa Inlet in the winter time in the 1940’s and hearing rocks tumbling down the mountain side and splashing into the water.

Beyond Malibu is a Young Life Camp beyond Malibu and before Chatterbox Falls. It’s a camp for the really adventurous hikers and kayakers!

We rounded the point to see Chatterbox Falls and a small city of pleasure boats at anchor. The provincial park dock appeared to be full but with the co-operation of other boaters in moving boats, Kent was able to squeeze us in. The maximum moorage time at the dock is 72 hours and the maximum length of boat is 55 feet - so we just squeeked in under the limit!

Graeme and I hiked up past the falls on the trail which leads to a trappers cabin. It’s a 2 hour hike and rated as difficult. The path was muddy, wet, dangerously slippery and very steep. After 20 minutes we realized we’d come to the end of our ability and endurance. If we’d been properly equipped with hiking boots, long pants, water, food and radios we might have managed the hike - but not only did we not have time, we hadn’t filed a flight plan with the captain.

Kent and Lise walked the trail to Chatterbox Falls for a few pictures and to see the Macdonald Memorial Lodge which was built by John and Dorhn Bosch in the 1970’s. It’s a beautiful building with seating around a fire pit and a steeply sloped roof with a vent for the smoke to escape. I hope my video will show the charm - perhaps someday we will have time to sit there in the evening enjoying a fire and company of other boaters.

Graeme remembered his last visit to Chatterbox Falls - 45 years ago! He was 15 and was certain there was a trail to the top of the falls and a chain link fence to keep people from stepping on the deceptive looking mossy edges which were quick to break free and tumble the unwary right into the strong river current and over the falls. A sign in the park warns 12 people lost their lives when swept over the falls.

I stood in the showering mist to video the thundering falls. In warmer weather there would have been adventurous people standing right below the falls, in the torrent of water and walking across the slippery rocks of the creekbed. We’ve had an inordinant amount of rainy, cold weather and the water is pouring off the mountainsides in abundance.

Back at the boat, Kent lowered the dinghy and he an I motored off toward Malibu. I noticed a yellow helicopter overhead, circling the inlet then hovering over the mountainside above the area of the trail Graeme and I had just hiked. It was a Canadian Coast Guard Search and Rescue helicopter and we could hear much talk on channel 16 but could not make out the words as our dinghy motor was very loud.

Kent shut the motor down in order to hear the distress call and we watched the helicopter as it circled. The park ranger was in contact with the pilot as well as someone on the hiking trail. We watched for 20 minutes as the search and rescue crew spotted the hikers and the rescue operation was underway then we motored on toward Malibu to meet Charlie.

We were warmly greeted by a dock attendant and welcomed to Malibu Club. He called a ‘yacht host’ to give us a tour and she arrived promptly and showed us around, telling the history of the property, the recent renovations and a synopsis of camp life. We asked if we could buy an ice cream cone and stand near the point to watch and video Charlie kayak through the rapids.

Charlie was just coming around ‘Forbidden Island’ when we arrived at the swimming pool to eat our ice cream and he was making good time, going with the current. I managed to get some video and will post it eventually! Charlie navigated the rapids with ease even though he’d been paddling for 10 1/2 hours!

He came in to the Malibu dock to join us but decided to carry on to the head of Princess Louisa immediately rather than take time for ice cream. We cast off and followed him for 15 minutes or so then motored off toward the Jervis Mist.

Graeme and Lise had quite a story to tell us of the helicopter hovering above them on the mountainside then attempting a landing on the beach. When the pilot realized his blades were about to cause a garage sale he apologized on channel 16 to the boaters and hovered further away. Lise laughingly told us how the wind whipped her dress up and all the towels and clothing on a nearby boat blew off into the water when the helicopter got too close. We heard some of the story of the injured hiker and Kent found out the rest later in the evening.

Graeme had the prawn and corn chowder ready and I prepared dinner while Kent was lifting the dinghy. Charlie arrived an hour later at 1700 hours and hauled himself out of the kayak onto our swimgrid. He and Kent then lifted the kayak to the dock for the night. After a shower and dry clothing Charlie was ready for Graeme’s chowder - he paddled 42 miles in 11 1/2 hours with only one stop to stretch his legs!

We ate dinner then Kent walked the dock looking for a fellow boater to share the days stories. People were still discussing the very sad accident and the dramatic rescue and when Kent came back in he told us the story.

A young man in his 20’s was hiking with a man and woman. He was slightly ahead and walked off the trail to pee. As he was doing up his pants, the ground under him gave way and he fell 25 feet down a very steep slope and broke his leg. The man and woman heard him calling for help (luckily). The woman went back to the boat which was anchored in the bay and the Captain took his first aid kit, flares and perhaps a walkie talkie and hiked up the extremely difficult trail to offer assistance. He assessed the situation and called immediately for help.

The park ranger arrived in her boat and was the go-between for the Captain and the SAR team in the helicopter. We heard much of her direction on channel 16 when she was guiding the pilot to the area. The hikers could see the helicopter and she relayed the info that the pilot should go west toward the clump of trees - then she laughed and admitted that was not very helpful information.

The SAR team belayed into a clear area and hiked to where the injured man was to find him ‘non-responsive’ and made the decision to air lift him immediately to Comox hospital, where he was later listed in ‘critical’ condition.

This story was certainly a wake-up call for all and very sad to hear, but sometimes we all need a bit of a reminder to use caution when in the woods. I find it very difficult to come to terms with the fact I will probably never hear if he lived - and I’ll always remember that story as the focal point of our visit to Chatterbox Falls.

We talked for a while then hit the hay - 0530 was coming awfully early…

I heard Kent knock on the door to wake Charlie at 0535 - the porridge was ready and Charlie had 42 miles to paddle home…