Re: [Paddlewise] Sea kayaking Jervis Inlet

Mary,
I sailed up Jervis inlet last summer on my parents powerboat.  We went to
Pincess Louisa Inlet, which contains Chatterbox Falls.  This is a small
mecca for boaters of the larger type (including yachts), as there is a long
dock next to chatterbox falls.  This is a very beautiful inlet.  However the
paddle to get there from the nearest town (Egmont) would be long, flat, and
not very interesting.  Same scenery all the time, with a constant stream of
yachters going to and fro.  However, once in Pricess Louisa Inlet, there is
a speed, wake, and noise limit, and this is extraordinarily beautiful.
THere are a few campsites.  Paddling in there would be wonderful, however it
is only four miles long.  There is a substantial rapids at the entrance,
Malibu Rapids, which gets up to nine knots.  I never got to check it out at
anything but slack, unfortunately.  Looked like it could have had some very
fun eddylines and whirlpools, from my point of view.

Taking a boat ferry to and from Princess Louisa would be a great way to
spend 2-3 days.  And then from Egmont, I would recommend making the short
paddle to skookumchuck at slack and camping on one the several small islets
that are situated right in the middle of the rapids.  These are fantastic
places to camp, if you like to watch a grand spectacle of nature from the
safety of solid rock!  The whirlpools off the end of Boom Islet on the ebb
can get 60 feet wide...  on the flood, you might see a horde of whitewater
kayakers surfing one of the best standing waves on the planet.

There are some interesting islands to the west of Egmont as well, though
that area is more open to the sea and wind.

Also, from Princess Louisa, you could continue north up Jervis, and likely
see very few yachters.

If you like hiking, the trail above Chatterbox falls climbs two thousand
feet in a couple of miles, and requires a goodly bit of root grabbing and
scrambling.  But it also goes through some incredible rain forest to reach a
commanding view of the Inlet.  Very good if you're in decent shape.

Cheers,
Kevin



----- Original Message -----
From: "Mary Zuschlag" <mzuschlag_at_attbi.com>
To: "paddlewise" <PaddleWise_at_paddlewise.net>
Sent: Monday, March 11, 2002 12:23 PM
Subject: [Paddlewise] Sea kayaking Jervis Inlet


> I have been contemplating a summer trip.  I heard Jervis Inlet is really
> beautiful does anyone have any information about it?  It is up around the
> Vancouver Island/BC area.  I heard it is best to be dropped off in a power
> boat. Also how is the camping in that area?  I guess the big tidal rapid
is
> skookumchuck, best avoided except at slack tide, any others?  I have done
> several trips in the Discovery Islands so I am familiar with rip tides. --
> MZ
>

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