Bouvet Island | One of The Most Remote Islands in the World

By Coty Perry

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Bouvet Island | One of The Most Remote Islands in the World

Ever thought of combining an expedition to the remotest continent in the world with a trip to the most isolated island in the world?

Even though Bouvet Island is not a usual destination for expeditions visiting Antarctica, it has developed a mysterious aura around it. Be it the remote location or a few spooky tales surrounding it, the island has started attracting attention from those looking for a thrilling voyage.

While reaching the island is extremely challenging, it is an ideal destination for intrepid adventurers. Beyond Antarctica, this is as remote as it can get.

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Where is Bouvet Island?

Appearing like a tiny patch in the vast South Atlantic Ocean, this small volcanic island is located a staggering 1,600 kilometres north of mainland Antarctica. It is around 2,400 kilometres from the Cape of Good Hope in southern Africa.

The nearest inhabited island is the Tristan da Cunha group of British islands which are over 2,000 kilometres away. The extreme distance from other landmasses makes this the most remote island in the world.

History of Bouvet Island

The island was claimed by Norway in 1920 and initially, the United Kingdom opposed this. However, in 1930 the island was annexed to Norway. In 1971, the Norwegian Government declared Bouvet Island a nature reserve. Being far from Antarctica, the island does not fall under the area covered by the norms of the Antarctic Treaty.

The Norwegian Polar Institute has established a small, seasonal research station on the island called Norvegia. The station is located in Nyrøysa, the only spot on the island that is suitable for a helicopter landing. It contains an automatic meteorological station that sends data through satellites.

Why Bouvet Island isn’t a common destination

The island was discovered in 1739 and named after its discoverer, Jean-Baptiste-Charles Bouvet de Lozier, the leader of a French expedition. Such is the island's remoteness that only a few explorers could reach it in the next few decades and most failed to make a landing. A confirmed landing was made by George Norris, commander of the ship Sprightly, in 1825.

The geographical isolation of Bouvet Island makes it a rarely visited destination. While it is only approachable by ships, the island is far away from standard cruise ship routes to Antarctica. The only way you can visit is by joining a specialized expedition, or by chartering a private vessel.

Moreover, landing is extremely challenging as steep cliffs border the island on all sides. Even if your ship has a helicopter, you will need a permit from the Norwegian Polar Institute to land it. In human history, only a few people - probably less than 100 - have set foot on this remote piece of land.

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Bouvet Island is the most remote island on earth. Almost nobody goes.

Our brochure covers what we do reach — and how extraordinary the more accessible parts of the Southern Ocean are.

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Climate

Bouvet Island has an Antarctic maritime climate and the mean temperature is -1°C. While it remains covered with clouds and thick fog for most parts of the year, the sunlight can be intense on clear days. Spot temperatures can reach as high as 20°C on such days.

The weather conditions are unpredictable on the island. A clear day can turn windy and cloudy within a few minutes. Geologically, the island was formed from a shield volcano. However, the glaciers hide most of the volcanic features.

The land area of the island is 59 square kilometres and 93% of it is covered by thick glaciers. The sea around the island can be rough and during winter it remains surrounded by pack ice.

Wildlife and plant life

Due to the harsh environment and ice cover, the vegetation on the island is mostly algae and moss. Most of the vegetation is found in snow-free areas on the cliffs and beaches.

Bouvet Island is a popular breeding ground for seabirds and is listed as an important bird area (IBA). As many as 12 seabird species are marked as confirmed breeders on the island. These include the storm petrels, skuas, southern fulmars, Antarctic tern, snow petrels, and the giant petrel. The non-breeding species found here include other species of petrels and albatrosses.

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The island contains multiple macaroni and chinstrap penguin colonies. Adelie penguins are also found, though their numbers are less. As per an estimate done in the 1970s, the number of breeding penguins found on the island is around 117,000.

Other than birds, southern elephant seals and Antarctic fur seals also breed on the island. Whale species like the humpback, fin whale, and orca whale roam in the waters surrounding the island. Southern right whale dolphins and hourglass dolphins have also been seen.

Can you visit Bouvet Island?

Because of its remoteness, Bouvet Island is not mentioned in Antarctica travel guides and tourism activities are close to non-existent. Beyond the animals, Bouvet island’s population is zero, except for occasional visits by a team of scientists.

Some cruise ships undertake a journey to Bouvet Island from the South Sandwich Islands. However, making a landing from a zodiac is hazardous due to the heavy swells. The safest way to land is by helicopter. But foggy conditions make such landings challenging.

In case you manage to make a landing, most of the island is inaccessible due to the glacial cover. Watching the wildlife and the glacial scenery around the research station is possible. However, the glaciers have not been surveyed for crevasses. So, travelling across them without safety equipment and a guide is not advised.

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