Fall 2017 Update

Message from the President

Dear members and supporters;

Saturday, Aug.19, I detoured from Pender Harbour to Egmont and there joined a Bryce Christie tour to Chatterbox. Ranger Ming was surprised and pleased to see me.

I had only a couple of hours for inspection. The Ranger cabin is now habitable and appears to be in good shape with the Pellet stove, generator and dehumidifier in place. Parks has supplied some new furniture and Ming's satellite phone is operating.

She is currently sharing a Ranger boat with a fellow Ranger in Desolation Sound. The boat she had exclusively last year still awaits a replacement motor. The repairs to last winter's dock damage are fully complete.

Ming and I visited the new hiking trail behind MacDonald Island. The benches and ramp have been installed at the viewpoint. These were barged to Chatterbox earlier this summer. Parks has yet to provide the promised signage and I heard nothing of the dedication of "Ming's Trail". The re-roofing materials for the gazebo will be barged in with voluntary labour to complete the work this fall.

Visitor attendance on the dock is averaging 22 -24 boats per night. More visitors are choosing to anchor either at the falls or on the mooring buoys behind the island than in prior years. Ming does not think that the suggested hiking trial and dingy dock below the falls are feasible, at least cost wise, and she is now focused on staking out a new trail on MacDonald Island.

All in all, I feel that we have achieved good results for our substantial investments this year.

Regards,

Bill Ireland

President, Princess Louisa International Society