Another national historic site, is four kilometers (2.5 miles) upstream from Prince of Wales Fort . Sloop Cove, a mere break in the western shoreline of the river, is formed by smooth rocky ridges. Post-glacial land uplift caused it to become a meadow surrounded by rocks, some of which still contain iron mooring rings. A short stone dyke was added to prevent ice-cakes from piling into the cove during spring break-ups.
Sloop Cove
In the 18th century it was a safe harbour and winter haven for Hudson's Bay Co. sloops. Hawsers looped through great iron ringbolts drew the vessels ashore and moored them snugly. The rings had another use far from nautical. Chipewyan Indians who camped in the lee of the rocks chained their dogs to the rusty ringbolts. Names chiselled into the rocks in antiquated lettering have withstood more than two centuries of weathering. Names of sloops and their crews, initials and dates, sometimes a stonemason's mark, such as hammer or hatchet appear there. One of an old-time gibbet depicts the story of a man hanged for stealing a goose, and gives rise to all kinds of speculations. Two ships' names are Discovery and Furnace, ships of the Dobbs Expedition of 1741.
	The rocks bear signatures of Hudson's Bay Co. men, the best known of which is that of Samuel Hearne, northern explorer and H.B.C. governor - "Sl Hearne. July ye 1, 1767," one hundred years before Confederation.
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