We woke to a beautiful clear day in Princess Louisa Inlet.  The sunlight slowly lit up the mountainsides and began to slide down toward us.  We watched its progress eagerly in the chilly morning air, cups of steaming coffee warming our hands.  With the dusting of snow in the mountaintops and the maple leaves covering the ground it was truly feeling like fall in the Pacific Northwest.

After a slow morning, we hopped in our dinghies and cruised back down the inlet.  Halfway down we stopped and took a walk on a mile-long loop trail through the forest.  Big leaf maples, cedars and hemlocks grew tall above us, while ferns, moss and huckleberries covered the forest floor.  We admired the massive nurse logs and other large stumps that were left behind by the loggers, and even tasted the sugary rhizome of the Licorice fern.

The next stop was a tour of the Malibu Club.  The club was built in the 1940s as an exclusive resort for the rich and famous.  Despite creating an incredible and luxurious space, the resort was unsuccessful and was abandoned after only being open for a few years.  Now it is owned by Young Life and operates as a Christian summer camp for high school students.  We toured the grounds and learned about life at camp for the kids.  With a heated pool, giant swing, zipline, gym, ropes course, kayaks, paddle boards, mountain biking and hiking trails, incredible views and no cell service, we were wishing they had camp for adults!

Back on the dock at Chatterbox Falls, Deception hosted Bonum Vitae for dinner this evening. Don, Peter and Rob are friends from their university days back home in Australia.  They are a lively bunch with classic Aussie humor.  This is Don’s third flotilla trip with NW Explorations, but it’s the first time for his crewmates.  They are all enjoying themselves immensely and make for delightful company.