Cerf Island

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Cerf Island (1.27 km²) lies 4 km off the north coast of Mahé in the Seychelles. Cerf Island measures more than 1.5 km long (about 1 mile) and almost 1 km wide (almost ¾ of a mile), it reaches a height of 108 m (357 feet). The island is surrounded by a coral reef and the geology is granitic.

Cerf Island was named after the French navy frégate “Le Cerf” which arrived at Port Victoria on 1 November 1756. On board was Corneille Nicholas Morphey, leader of the French expedition, which claimed the island by laying a Stone of Possession on Mahe, Seychelles’ oldest monument, now on display in the National Museum, Victoria.

Cerf Island is the only island in the marine park to have a small local population who commute to Mahé for their daily business. It has a local population of around 100, mostly centered in one bay on the South side of the island, many who make the short commute by boat to Mahé for work.

Well-known residents include the celebrated South African novelist Wilbur Smith, writer, explorer and treasure hunter William "Bill" Travis and yacht designer Phil Southwell. UK writers and artists Ralph Lazar and Lisa Swerling took creative sabbatical on the island in 1998, where they created the cult cartoon Harold's Planet. The island also has a small art gallery and a chapel.

The island lies in the Ste Anne Marine National Park and is surrounded by a coral reef. The geology is grantitic, with a maximum height above sea level of 357 feet. There are two hotels, a guest lodge, three restaurants, a spa and a beach bar. There are no paved roads or local infrastructure on the island; travel to-and-from the island is by boat and by helicopter which lands at the heli pad at Cerf Island Resort Seychelles.

Due to Cerf Island’s location, in a National Marine Park, the waters around Cerf Island prove a spectacular sight. The deepest point of the Marine Park is 250 meters (820 feet) and the Park offers exceptional marine life, with more than 150 species of reef fish, crabs, sea urchins, starfish, octopus and many more. Cerf Island is home to the fruit bat and giant tortoises. On the north side of the island are superb coral reefs. Here giant tortoises swim with clown fish.

There are no shops, roads or local infrastructure but water, telephone and electricity is provided from the mainland Mahe. Diving centres are plentiful on the main island and snorkelling equipment is available for hire on Cerf Island at the hotels.

Some properties on the island suffered minor damage by the Indian Ocean Earthquake (tsunami) of 2004.