Gough Island St Helena UK
United Kingdom
1
Cruises availables
At departure or passage at this port
Silversea Cruises (1 Cruises)
Frequently Asked Questions
No. No tourist landing is permitted: the island is viewed from the sea. A dependency of the British territory of Saint Helena, it is a UNESCO World Heritage site as one of the least disturbed island ecosystems in the temperate seas.
In the South Atlantic, 350 kilometres southeast of Tristan da Cunha. It appears only on the most ambitious expedition itineraries, those linking Antarctica to the lost islands of the Southern Ocean.
A zodiac cruise along the coast, when swell and wind allow. Dark cliffs streaked with waterfalls, slopes covered in tree ferns, sea caves echoing with surf. The ship waits offshore, engines idling, ready to recall her boats if the weather turns.
Subantarctic fur seals hauled out on the rocks and Northern rockhopper penguins, with their golden crests, gathered in noisy colonies. Whale blows sometimes punctuate the outing. From the deck, binoculars in hand, the seabird traffic never stops.
Because it holds one of the highest concentrations of seabirds on the planet. The Tristan albatross, one of the largest flying birds in the world, breeds almost nowhere else, and the Atlantic petrel also depends largely on this isolated group.
A handful of people. A South African weather station has occupied one corner of the island since the 1950s, where a few scientists and technicians live self-sufficiently, surrounded by millions of birds. Crew changes come by ship from Cape Town, more than 2,500 kilometres away.
No, and the lines do not present it as such. South Atlantic weather decides everything: ships plan this approach as a possibility rather than a promise. Passengers on these itineraries know it, and every island sighted counts as a win.
Not really. This is expedition sailing in the South Atlantic, with no landing, rough seas and long days at sea before and after. It suits passengers passionate about birds and wilderness, not young children.
Binoculars, above all — they are the only way to enjoy the call. Then waterproof, windproof clothing for zodiac cruising and long spells on deck, and a camera protected from spray. The naturalists aboard help put a name to every silhouette.
The austral summer, November to March, when expedition itineraries cross the South Atlantic and the colonies are occupied. Even then the winds of the Roaring Forties blow constantly: nothing is ever guaranteed at these latitudes.
