Stafnes

Stafnes was a mansion in the past.  There were many fishing outfits on the property and many people lived there during the fishing seasons.  Royal fishing outfits started operating there around the middle of the 16th century and were abolished in 1769.  The inhabitants of the King´s properties in the Southwest were obliged to work on the King´s boats against low pay.  During the 17th and 18th centuries, Stafnes was the most populous fishing outfit on the Reykjanes Peninsula.  The former trading post Basendar is a short distance to the south.  Still further south is the old harbour Thorshofn, which was not much used, because of the proximity of Basendar.  Many vessels have run aground on the Stafnes Skerries.  In 1928 the trawler President Jon ran aground there, 15 of the crew drowned, but 10 were rescued.  This and other similar accidents led to the establishment of The Life Saving Association of Iceland.  Considerable seal hunting was practiced at Stafnes in earlier times.