The volcanic Peter I, or Peter I Øy
Located in the Bellingshausen Sea, about 450 km (280 miles) from the Antarctic continent, Peter I Island is one of the most remote islands on Earth. It is claimed by Norway but entirely uninhabited, and very few people have ever set foot on Peter I (only 600 as of 2005). Peter I Island’s inactive volcano, Lars Christensentoppen, is 1,640 meters (5,380 feet) high.
Peter I Island discovery and history
The island of Peter I was discovered in 1821 by Russian explorer Fabian von Bellingshausen and was named after Tsar Peter I of Russia. More than a century later, in 1931, Norway claimed the island. An automatic meteorological station was installed there in 1987. Peter I Island was included in the Antarctic Treaty of 1959.
Seeing Peter I Island on an Antarctica trip
We attempt to see Peter I Island on our Ross Sea voyages, using helicopters to maximize the chance of a successful landing there. No wildlife colonies are found on the island, but there is a breeding area for southern fulmars and Arctic terns. Adélie penguins, chinstrap penguins, and various seal species have also been spotted on and around Peter I Island.
