Hisnit Inlet runs north from Tlupana Inlet, about halfway between Head Bay and Tahsis Inlet. It’s a beautiful area to go kayaking. You can drive right up to the beach at the head of the inlet, where there is a spot to camp. Then you can spend as long as you like exploring the area. For many years, gravestones were carved from the local marble located in Hisnit Inlet. Mowachat/Muchalaht First Nations have lived in this area for at least the past 4300 years.
In 1890, Nootka Marble Quarries of Ucluelet, BC opened a marble quarry at Hisnit Inlet in Nootka Sound. This quarry produced building stone and grave markers that are still visible today in the old graveyards of Vancouver Island. At the start of WW1, the quarry closed and was abandoned.
In 1980, Dennis Zanatta, a stone expert and his son Ivo, owners of Matrix Marble & Stone, began investigating the origins of local marble that was used for architectural buildings in Victoria, B.C. A journey took them to the old abandoned quarry site in the Inlet. Following the formation of the inlet to a mountain range, they discovered a high-quality white and blue-grey marble, where the quarry still exists today. By 1996, quarrying began and has since provided superb marble for exceptional building projects throughout Canada.
The Inlet is a photographer’s dream, you could see whales, sea otters, sea lions, seals and bears, deer and cougars at any given time. The bird life is exceptional, to say the least. Look for the hummingbirds that can come in droves. The road in is very cool, and make sure you go down the road to Tahsis. Look for the three sisters’ falls when you do.