Princess Louisa Inlet is accessed by Jervis Inlet and in order to enter, most boats have to wait for slack tide. The Malibu Rapids at the mouth are fierce. Our boat was easily able to manage the crossing. To our right was a tremendous sight. Looking well maintained, lined with folks waving at us and jumping into a large outdoor swimming pool, was a huge log resort. Herein is a story.
A man by the name of Thomas Hamilton, an American, built this luxury
 |
| Malibu - Entrance To Princess Louisa Inlet |
resort. The club opened in 1941. Visitors included John Wayne, John Kennedy, Barbara Stanwyck, Bing Crosby and Bob Hope. Our tour guide told us that one night, after extensive hardship, Hamilton and his wife and family just packed up and left. They had had enough. He tried to sell it for one million but there were no takers. Eventually he was approached by Young Life, a Christian association, and feeling it was a worthy cause sold it to them for $300,000. He had apparently paid $500 for the land and a homestead so that wasn't a bad turnaround. This was a bit of a trick because the man who sold it to him only had squatters rights.
As we stared, they looked like a pretty happy group. We waved back. In the interim we learned of a man who was concerned by Malibu and the future impact of development in this unique area and what he did to preserve the natural beauty, thereby creating a legacy.