Princess Louisa Inlet, British Columbia
Nestled in the heart of British Columbia’s rugged Coast Mountains is unique treasure. This special destination is not typically reached by way of a long hike or climb, nor can one drive to it. Instead, it is reached by floatplane or boat. But to get there requires some effort. First one has to sail half a day up a long reach of Jervis Inlet. After nearly reaching the end of the inlet, you then veer east through a surprisingly narrow channel that is passable only at slack tide due to the potentially dangerous rapids that race through this 15 foot deep, 75 foot wide constriction connecting two sizeable bodies of water. However, once you have cleared this obstacle, known as Malibou Rapids, a real treat called Princess Louisa Inlet awaits you.
Princess Louisa Inlet is a fjord, a glacially carved valley that has been inundated by sea water. During the last Ice Age, glaciers repeatedly carved deeply into the granitic bedrock that comprises the Coast Mountains. This granite originated as molten rock, or magma, that cooled very slowly deep within the earth during the age of dinosaurs, around 80 million years ago. Over the course of millions of years, erosion slowly stripped away the overlying rocks until the last Ice Age, which began approximately one and a half million years. At that time extensive ice sheets spread out from the mountains and down what were once river valleys, and rapidly carved deeply into the bedrock. When the ice finally melted, smooth-scoured, steep-sided valleys were revealed that eventually filled with water by the rising seas. Today, we observed mountains over five thousand feet high rising from the waters of the inlet, which bottomed out over 600 feet below our vessel.
Our day was spent in this magical place, which we explored by foot, kayak, and Zodiac. The hikers roamed through the lush forests and had a close-up look at the 120-foot Chatterbox Falls. The kayakers and Zodiac tours enjoyed the clear placid water of the inlet, with its abundance of sea stars, harbor seals, and jellyfish. A few guests even topped off the day with a short swim at the base of the falls. All in all, the visit was well worth the effort.
Nestled in the heart of British Columbia’s rugged Coast Mountains is unique treasure. This special destination is not typically reached by way of a long hike or climb, nor can one drive to it. Instead, it is reached by floatplane or boat. But to get there requires some effort. First one has to sail half a day up a long reach of Jervis Inlet. After nearly reaching the end of the inlet, you then veer east through a surprisingly narrow channel that is passable only at slack tide due to the potentially dangerous rapids that race through this 15 foot deep, 75 foot wide constriction connecting two sizeable bodies of water. However, once you have cleared this obstacle, known as Malibou Rapids, a real treat called Princess Louisa Inlet awaits you.
Princess Louisa Inlet is a fjord, a glacially carved valley that has been inundated by sea water. During the last Ice Age, glaciers repeatedly carved deeply into the granitic bedrock that comprises the Coast Mountains. This granite originated as molten rock, or magma, that cooled very slowly deep within the earth during the age of dinosaurs, around 80 million years ago. Over the course of millions of years, erosion slowly stripped away the overlying rocks until the last Ice Age, which began approximately one and a half million years. At that time extensive ice sheets spread out from the mountains and down what were once river valleys, and rapidly carved deeply into the bedrock. When the ice finally melted, smooth-scoured, steep-sided valleys were revealed that eventually filled with water by the rising seas. Today, we observed mountains over five thousand feet high rising from the waters of the inlet, which bottomed out over 600 feet below our vessel.
Our day was spent in this magical place, which we explored by foot, kayak, and Zodiac. The hikers roamed through the lush forests and had a close-up look at the 120-foot Chatterbox Falls. The kayakers and Zodiac tours enjoyed the clear placid water of the inlet, with its abundance of sea stars, harbor seals, and jellyfish. A few guests even topped off the day with a short swim at the base of the falls. All in all, the visit was well worth the effort.
