Uploaded March 2012 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Landing on Inaccessible Island, one of the remotest islands on earth, so not an easy place to get to, and not an place to land (hence the name). Discovered in 1656 by Dutch sailors, the island has a long history of failed attempts at landing, including my own failed attempt last year. High cliffs (more than 1,000 feet on all sides) and treacherous surf make Inaccessible worthy of its name. And yet, this year (2012) I was able to make landfall thanks to incredibly nice weather and some zodiacs to go ashore from the MV National Geographic Explorer.
I love remote islands, so this particular landing was a dream come true for me. I am glad to have connected with this dot on the map, if only for the few hours I had on these lonely shores. I was extremely lucky in that I got to see the elusive little Inaccessible Island Rail, a rare and flightless bird that only lives on this one island.
Landing on Inaccessible Island, one of the remotest islands on earth, so not an easy place to get to, and not an place to land (hence the name). Discovered in 1656 by Dutch sailors, the island has a long history of failed attempts at landing, including my own failed attempt last year. High cliffs (more than 1,000 feet on all sides) and treacherous surf make Inaccessible worthy of its name. And yet, this year (2012) I was able to make landfall thanks to incredibly nice weather and some zodiacs to go ashore from the MV National Geographic Explorer.
I love remote islands, so this particular landing was a dream come true for me. I am glad to have connected with this dot on the map, if only for the few hours I had on these lonely shores. I was extremely lucky in that I got to see the elusive little Inaccessible Island Rail, a rare and flightless bird that only lives on this one island.
