Menzies was the surgeon/ship's naturalist who traveled to the west coast of North America with the British explorer George Vancouver in 1792. During their three-year voyage, Menzies would study and record much about the spectacular natural history of the British Columbia coastline. While Menzies was impressed by the richness of life in Jervis Inlet, Captain Vancouver was less impressed. He had hoped that this long inlet would reveal what he sought - a passage through the continent of North America.
Our experience travelling through Jervis Inlet, a large fjord about 100 miles north-northwest of Vancouver, British Columbia, was equally spectacular. On either side of the 50-mile fjord, large granite walls rise straight out of the sea to heights of five to eight thousand feet. These rock faces also extend deep under the ocean's surface, plunging to depths of up to 2000 feet. Waterfalls crash down the steep cliff faces, disappearing into stands of coastal rainforest.
Jervis Inlet leads into Princess Louisa Inlet, a four-mile stretch of fjord ending in the spectacular Chatterbox Falls. The entrance to Princess Louisa Inlet is guarded by Malibu Rapids - a narrow opening through which water flows at 9 knots.Sea Lion and the other vessels transiting the Rapids must wait for the currents to slow during slack tide before entering the narrow channel. Once anchored at the end of Princess Louisa Inlet we enjoyed a very warm and sunny day of exploring the coastal rainforest by foot and kayaking the end of the inlet.
George Vancouver was never fortunate enough to visit Princess Louisa Inlet, as he thought Malibu Rapids was a river mouth too shallow and fast flowing for his small boats. If he had had the opportunity to enter the Inlet, surely he too would have been impressed by its incredible beauty.
