Stokes N.P

Stokes N.P 18th/ 20th February

We have had an interesting time at Stokes N.P. We camped at Fanny Cove where we had a 20 metre walk to the beach and rocks to have a fish, hard to take. The only bad thing about the beach is there is a fair
bit of seaweed on the beach and at times it can be very smelly.




Looking to the right of Fanny Cove
from the same spot on the rocks



Standing on the rocks at Fanny Cove
 looking back to the left and entry to
beach, Pete fishing.



We were told a saying by one of the local fishermen " step on the black and you're on your back", meaning stay off the black slippery bits of the rock or else!  Well Pete did exactly that, he got up early the first morning to have a fish off the rocks and the next thing he knew he was on his bum sitting in a puddle, he said it happened so quick he didn't know what he'd done. He grazed his arm and has hurt his wrist which was healing from a previous injury. That same day we set off to do some exploring. We had a look at Stokes Inlet and a walk around some ruins that once used to be an old homestead and thriving business. These ruins were built by the Moir brothers who had the lease from 1873 -1951, they built the buildings from everything around them. They opened up a road that ran from Fanny Cove up past their home and into the gold fields inland of them. With the road running past they opened up a local blacksmith shop and general store that serviced those back and forwards. One brother, John Moir lived here with his wife and 8 kids, but unfortunately he was killed in 1977 by natives. John's family stayed on and kept the property going.




The ruins of the blacksmith shop




The main home is on the left the other building was extra
living quarters for guests or workers. We don't know what sort
of tree it is in the middle, either a wild fig or frangapanie,
it wasn't here when the family lived here.




The main bore  which was about 500 meters
 from the home.



inside the well, all stone lined

While looking around at this interesting site Charlie managed to get himself stung by a bee, in his ear of all places. There were signs up about the bees and they were quite obvious but we walked into a room in the house that was full of them and poor Charlie copped it. Nothing some Nurofen and a cold can of beer didn't fix! Well at least we now know Charlie isn't allergic to bees!

After that we set off to look at the other side of Stokes Inlet. When we got there we had Tom in pain with cramps in is stomach. We were trying to work out what we had eaten or was he coming down with a bug of some sorts??? I gave him some Nurofen made us all something to eat and waited to see what would happen. Then Tom decided he needed to go to the toilet for a number 2 and that fixed everything! All this by 11 in the morning, that was our three things so we were right for the rest of the day.

After lunch we drove to a lovely spot only 7km's from camp called Shoal Cape. We did some snorkeling in the lagoon area and spotted a few different  fish. Then we went rock hoping on some very sharp rocks, you definitely needed your thongs on, one slip on those rocks and you have cut yourself quite badly.




Shoal Cape where we snorkeled




The stairs to get down to Shoal Cape and the rocks to the right
where we explored.





Our last night at Stokes N.P wasn't the best. The wind had stopped blowing during the night and we woke up around 3am to the most disgusting smell of rotting seaweed all around us, YUK! We didn't really sleep after that and it was very hard to stomache breakfast in the morning. That smell didn't escape us till we had put the beach way behind us and moved on. Not the best way to end a lovely camping spot.