Antarctic Peninsula · Antarctica · Channel & pass
Cuverville Island
The peninsula's largest gentoo colony, 6,500 pairs
Photo: W. Bulach · CC BY-SA 4.0
Cuverville Island is a rock island in the Errera Channel, between the Arctowski Peninsula and Rongé Island, carrying the largest gentoo penguin colony on the Antarctic Peninsula at about 6,500 breeding pairs. Ships stop for the colony and the diving is fitted around the landing, run by Zodiac off the anchored vessel.
Where it is and how deep
64.6833° S, 62.6333° WApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
Cuverville sits in the Errera Channel, in the gap between the Arctowski Peninsula and Rongé Island, and it is a rock island rather than an ice one. What defines it is the colony: about 6,500 pairs of gentoo penguins breed here, the largest for the species anywhere on the Antarctic Peninsula, with southern giant petrels and Antarctic shags nesting on the island as well.
That colony sets the terms for everything a ship does here. BirdLife International has designated the island an Important Bird Area, so the landing and the boat work are both run to keep clear of the ground the birds are using, and diving is a Zodiac operation launched from the anchored ship rather than anything shore-based. Expect the guide to choose where to drop in on the day, working around ice in the channel and the ship's landing programme.
Background
The island was discovered by the Belgian Antarctic Expedition of 1897-1899, led by Adrien de Gerlache, and named after Jules de Cuverville (1834-1912), a vice admiral of the French Navy. Its standing now is ornithological rather than exploratory: BirdLife International has designated Cuverville an Important Bird Area on the strength of the gentoo colony, which at about 6,500 breeding pairs is the largest of the species on the Antarctic Peninsula.
Marine life and season
- Penguins
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Good | Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Good | Prime |
Season follows Antarctic Peninsula: Expedition ships operate only during the austral summer; the peninsula is inaccessible to tourism the rest of the year.
Know before you go
- The island is an Important Bird Area with about 6,500 pairs of gentoos nesting; landings and boat movements keep clear of the colony, so divers follow the guide's line rather than picking an entry.
Photos from Cuverville Island
W. Bulach · CC BY-SA 4.0
W. Bulach · CC BY-SA 4.0
Michelle Maria · CC BY 3.0
Dive videos
Gentoos swimming underwater at Cuverville Island · Grant Humphries on YouTube
Questions divers ask
How big is the gentoo colony on Cuverville Island?+
About 6,500 breeding pairs, which makes it the largest gentoo penguin colony on the Antarctic Peninsula. Southern giant petrels and Antarctic shags nest on the island too, and BirdLife International has designated it an Important Bird Area.
How deep are the dives at Cuverville Island?+
Polar dive operations on this coast work to a maximum of around 20 m. Nothing more specific is published for Cuverville: no depth profile, visibility or current figures, and no described route. The guide picks the drop-in on the day, working around ice in the Errera Channel and the ship's landing programme.
Sources
- Cuverville Island — Wikipedia
- Polar Diving — Oceanwide Expeditions
Photo credits
- Icebergs drifting in blue water off the snow-covered slopes of Cuverville Island by W. Bulach, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Three gentoo penguins descending a snow slope on Cuverville Island by W. Bulach, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- A Weddell seal resting on the snow at Cuverville Island by W. Bulach, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Dark volcanic rock outcrops streak the snowy shoreline above the water at Cuverville Island by Michelle Maria, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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