Gough Island

Hey explorer!

Welcome to Adventure Fix, the newsletter that helps you discover extraordinary journeys and experiences across the globe.

Today we are heading to a rugged and remote seabird bird haven in the South Atlantic Ocean, Gough Island.

This small volcanic island is uninhabited except for a small team of meteorologists and biologists. 

The only way to reach Gough is by sea, either a scientific research vessel or for us ordinary folks, an expedition cruise ship.

Gough Island

A voyage to Gough Island is usually part of multi-week cruises from the Southern tip of Argentina to Saint Helena.

Aside from Gough, this trip stops off at South Georgia and Tristan da Cunha, making it a great way to see some of the South Atlantic’s most remote places.

Infamous strong westerly gusts and powerful sea swells are known to pound this place but if the weather allows, you can cruise the shorelines of Quest Bay in a Zodiac.

The island is bordered by cliffs, while in the distance, you can see towering mountains and intricately carved valleys, forming a breathtaking backdrop of dramatic natural scenery.

Quest Bay is known for its rookery of northern rockhopper penguins, a species that can only be found on a handful of remote and rarely visited islands in the South Atlantic and South Indian Ocean.

If the sea state and weather are just right, you might even be lucky enough to circumnavigate Gough, taking in this area’s Jurassic Parkesque scenery and abundant wildlife.

A highlight of this side trip is the possibility of seeing huge pods of dusky dolphins which usually coincides with a feeding frenzy of hundreds of seabirds.

A Haven for Seabirds

Gough's remote location and mild climate create an ideal nesting haven for millions of the world's most unique seabirds, found nowhere else in the world.

Another thing Gough has going for it is that it is situated near the Subtropical Convergence Zone, where temperate waters mix with subtropical waters, making the island a prime destination for both warm- and cold-water seabirds.

Some cruises have counted over 20 tubenose species around Gough Island, including birds from South Georgia (black-browed albatrosses, Cape petrels, Antarctic prions), New Zealand (shy albatrosses), and the Indian Ocean (white-headed petrels).

Seeing such birds in such numbers is enough to get any birder’s heart pumping.

Explore More

If you would like to learn more, here are some links you can check out to get more information about visiting Gough Island.

• Gough Island: Seabird Capital of the South Atlantic (blog)

• Atlantic Odyssey (expedition cruise)

How to Visit Gough Island

The only way for ordinary people (non-scientists) to visit Gough Island is on an expedition cruise.

A great option is Oceanwide Expeditions. Their 23-night cruise called Atlantic Odyssey stops at Grough for two days. This trip leaves from Ushuaia Argentina and disembarks in Saint Helena.

Another option is Swan Hellanic which offers a route from Ushaia to Cape Town.

P.S.: Do you want to learn how to take better pictures? If you're new to landscape photography, make sure you download our free gear checklist so you can learn what gear you must have, what’s useful but not essential, and what’s simply nice to have.