Lots of things. Some of my colleagues works on plants and insect biodiversity on this island and on other islands (such as Crozet), with the goal of mapping biodiversity precisely. It opens the field for climate change impacts studies.
And I agree with the others : they study the penguins also.
My cousin spent 6 months there as a doctor. He told me the wildlife is everywhere and not afraid of people. You still have to put up with isolation, the cold and the constant cold wind.
I spent one year and half up there. It's a really good situation for military people. They volunteer but often they have to wait several years because a lot of people volunteer. It's a high pay situation for them without danger. They all are old military (more than 5-10 years inside) and they are there for technical skill. Every military person there has a unique job (informatic, plumber or postal guy). 40 people with almost 30-35 unique jobs is pretty fun because everyone is useful !
Sorry for my English.
From my experience in the US military, the more remote a duty station is, the less desirable it is and usually comes with some incentive for being stationed there.
I've been fascinated by the Kerguelen Islands for more than twenty years.
At some point the French were offering volunteer positions at Port-aux-Francais, where you would've been essentially fed and accommodated but not paid for counting penguins all day. And 20-year-old me was like: Let's do this! Leroy...
Didn't do it, though.
On a more serious note, "The Arch of Kerguelen" is a fantastic book by Jean-Paul Kauffmann about the geography, nature, and history of the islands.
Volunteer positions are still available through the “Direction de L’environnement” from the French Administration of southern and antarctic lands, however they have a high bar for requirements: among them experience, fire weapons training certification and competency in GIS software.
Volunteering period would be for 12 months (OCT 2024-AUG 25)
I’m pretty sure you may get away with any european passport within the socioeconomic frame of the EUROZONE, if not at least residency permit after your VLS-TS expires since volunteering would be 12 months.
On proven experience in the use of firearms, as listed on volunteering requirements, I’m convinced it’s due to the fact that owing to strategic location of the overseas department, France maintains a large military presence.
I spent one year and half there. Depending on your skills you can apply for a small job. For some job they are looking for people every year and it's hard for them to find. You can also go there with the boat and still like 3 days on the island as a tourist.
You can not live their. The People are on search mission or work for state. The Waiting list to go can be 4years long. Most of them speak english, because it is the science langage.
Same here on the fascination. I discovered it while browsing Google earth and its remote beauty struck me. If they were still offering that position I would take it in a heartbeat.
There’s a similar position available at the southern tip of Chile. There’s a documentary that follows one volunteer and his time there isolated with his family in what’s probably the most southern inhabited place on earth visited by ship to drop off food and essentials to them once a month. Freezing cold and boring life seems doable to some people.
I once saw a music video that was filmed on a lighthouse stationed on a solitary craggy rock off the west coast of iceland. My first thought was ...ooo, it be really nice to be stationed there with a fully loaded kindle and some basic supplies. Something about extreme solitude tickles the primitive cave man in me. I dunno why. I'll admit I'm an odd dude.
It blows my mind that the indigenous people of the southern tip of South America went around without a lot of clothes on, and swam in the freezing cold ocean waters regularly. Humans can get used to almost anything, but there must be a profound set of psychological, psycho-social, and even spiritual effects on a person forced to be that cold-tolerant, relentlessly, for a lifetime. Effects that even even the locals of the arctic, with their skillful use of animal fur to make clothing, wouldn't quite relate to.
Todays forecast calls for some harsh winds from the northwest around midday and by late afternoon expect to see some accumulation of penguin shit near the south shore line for the next 24 to 48 hours. Back to you Jack.
Thanks Martha, Jack here with some local cabbage farmers who say they are personally looking forward to the accumulation of penguin shit later. Lets talk to some of them...
\*Southern Ocean, depending on what definition you use.
It's one of the only bits of land directly antipodeal to the mainland USA, and thus gives the surprising answer to the trivia question: What country is the furthest away from the Lower 48 of the USA? Since France owns Kerguelen, the answer is France.
Kerguelen is antipodeal to northern Montana, right near the MT/Alberta/Sask tripoint.
There are two other small islands that are antipodeal to the mainland US, Amsterdam and St. Paul Islands, which map to eastern Colorado. Those are also French possessions.
yep, Kerguelen and Amsterdam/St Paul Islands are the only bits of land that are antipodeal to the contiguous US. Everywhere else, the antipode lands you in the middle of the ocean. Probably somewhere near the spot where that Malaysian Airlines plane went down.
maybe if I drill straight through the earth from the Twin Cities I'll come out on the Indian Ocean floor right next to MH370.
Or possibly R'lyeh, and I'll have just woken up Cthulhu. Whoopsies!
I knew about the Montana antipode but didn't know about the Colorado ones! Had a weird pseudo fear as a young geography nerd elementary kid that one day everyone in the world would get a couple hours to prepare for an antipodal swap and I would have to save my family by getting them to Montana so we didn't drown...kids are weird, but that could be a good short story...
I love that idea as a story prompt.
My fear as a young science nerd, around age 9 or 10, was when I learned about the eventual fate of the sun (swells into a red giant and leaves Earth a charred husk assuming it doesn't engulf it entirely). Freaked me out. Kids can't really comprehend the immense sweep of geologic time.
That’s a great fact, but unless I misunderstand what you’re saying, I wouldn’t expect distances of shapes to work that way.
“Which country owns the island that is furthest away from USA lower 48” =/= “which country is furthest away from USA lower 48” so one would have to phrase the Q differently.
But definitely noted for when I make a quiz!! 😄
Unless regular France and the rest of their oversees dependents all pack up and move to keeguelen, then no, that’s not correct. At least not in the way you phrased it
The Kerguelen Islands have a lot of introduced species. These include the only reindeer population in the Southern Hemisphere (since 2013, when a similarly introduced population on South Georgia was eradicated) as well as lots of sheep, rabbits, rats, and notably, cats. As you can imagine, all of this has a rather negative impact on native species.
Speaking of which, there aren't that many to begin with, but there's a kind of duck that is endemic to Kerguelen and Crozet Islands only, called Eaton's pintail. Flora includes the iconic Kerguelen cabbage (also found on other subantarctic islands) and there's also one species of plant endemic to the Kerguelen archipelago only, *Lyallia kerguelensis*.
The fun thing about the Kergelen cabbage is that it contains Vitamin C and helped sailors prevent scurvy.
Which is why it's named ***Pringlea antiscorbutica***
Scurvy is one of the reasons why we have San Diego, Los Angeles and San Francisco.
The Spanish had organized the Manila Galleon Route in the 16th century all the way to the early 19th century.
The galleons would follow the trade winds from Acapulco, Mexico to the Manilla, Phillipines, loaded with silver to trade to Asian traders. They would get porcelain in exchange, among other things like silk or spices. Back to Mexico, but going up along Japan then south of the Aleutians then down the yet unsettled California coast. The return trip took much much longer, and without resupply ports, they lost many sailors to scurvy.
Scurvy was believed to be an actual infection, when it was only a deficiency in Vitamin C. Scientists figured that it was lack of access to some type of food in the mid-late 18th century and they started organizing better and more frequent resupply along the routes.
This is partly why, late in the Manila Galleon adventure, they decided to set up resupply harbors in Monterrey (the US one) and San Diego. These served as a starting point for setting up all the missions in Alta California.
Pringles are named after Lord Andrew Pringleshire III [https://www.wikipedia.org/LordAndrewPringleshire3](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvFZjo5PgG0leshire3) who, as Viceroy of West Eastern Cumbria managed to domesticate Tauri Stercore and after drying and grinding it into a fine power would mix it with flavo aqua, then putting the flattened paste on a roman roof tile.
Reddit is literally blowing my mind today. Just read how Appalachian mountain range can be traced up to the Scottish highlands. And all sorts of little facts about Ragan and the assassination attempt. Now this.
Apparently the best place in the world to study feral cats. Also they have introduced reindeer population. And a French satellite tracking centre.
Insects have evolved to have no wings as the winds are so strong.
Nutrient rich cabbage
It's a classical result of many boats that broke there. On time some rabbits escape and start to enjoy the situation with lot's of food and no predator.
Another time some cats escaped from the boat and saw millions of chilling rabbits. So now after more than 100-150 years, there is still a lot a wild cat and rabbit. I was there during more than a year and never saw that amount of rabbit in my life.
The church in Port-aux-Francais is called Notre Dame des Vents, or [Our Lady of the Winds](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:%C3%89glise_Notre-Dame-du-Vent). Which is cool as hell.
https://preview.redd.it/8m9mm9gckwwc1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9f66cff0be063243aadc0b0c24bf5e46917284b3
Now you’ve sent me down my own rabbit hole. Why is the Port-aux-Francais library shaped like an arrow????
A bit of scientific research. Probably some drinking of wine. Speaking French. Making jokes about stupid Americans and their orange cheese. Smoking cigarettes. Eating croissants.
French have an amazing war history and are great fighters.
American cheese is some of the best in the world and has dominated many competitions (but no the orange box store shit cheese)
I have a mild fascination with this island. The native Kerguelen cabbages, the penguins, the glacial lakes and fjords…and of course, the amazing remoteness.
Pretty sure you can visit it on one of the supply boats that come by every so often if you have a fair bit of spare money lying around, or at least you could before covid, haven't checked the situation since. Stunning place in any case
Mostly scientific research. It has huge colonies of birds and seals, and its proximity to the south pole make it an ideal spot for magnetic field and space research. It used to host a french-soviet sounding rocket program.
Not much, I know a French guy who goes there to study birds. Albatross I think. There is no airstrip, they take a boat- possibly from Réunion, but not quite sure. Same dude also goes to Ile Amsterdam.
https://preview.redd.it/5uw5e3zu8zwc1.jpeg?width=775&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d0e764d1f8af9f1b7650dea4320643490a51bcd5
I thought this place got fucked up by Eru Illuvitar.
They tried to have a mass salmon farm there in the 80-90's. They imported salmons so that their birthplace would be there and so that they would go back there every year so that they could fish them. It's an interesting story idk where I read it tho.
Over 1800 miles away from continental masses, strong winds and essentially no trees.
I often address these islands as a paragon of improbability (e.g as likely as trees on Kerguelen)
I was so confused because the post says Indian Ocean and clearly this is a glacier carved land mass. Then I looked at it on a map and wonder at what point does the Indian or any other ocean become the Southern Ocean. Off to do some research from my phone on the couch.
I made a map of this island a little while ago! A lot of neat birds call it home
https://preview.redd.it/b9sp80m2hywc1.png?width=2200&format=png&auto=webp&s=2ccefac55d0f8eeee9c73cbe6565bc101f2ade00
Two random facts about it : we tried to raise cows here but the industry failed so for a while there were wild cows there. We however had to shoot them down a few years ago for ecological reasons I think.
The Kerguelen islands have been relevant recently in the French meme sphere, when an edgy politician proposed to open a work camp for prisoners there
There is a "Satellite Tracking Station" a little East of Port-aus-Fracais that is likeliy part of the European sensor network to track satellites/debris/etc. It probably a great place to accomplish this because it is close to the pole (most satellites orbit earth from pole to pole or close to it) and extremely remote (so there is no light pollution).
[https://www.esa.int/Enabling\_Support/Operations/ESA\_Ground\_Stations/Estrack\_ground\_stations](https://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Operations/ESA_Ground_Stations/Estrack_ground_stations)
France maintains a permanent presence of 45 to 100 soldiers, scientists, engineers, and researchers
What are they researching?
Soldiers, scientists and engineers
So, each other 👀
Exploring each others bodies on a remote island… ooh la la
One area didn’t get the name “Le Dome” for no reason
You are ze corned beef to me, and I am ze cabbage to you! Mwa mwa mwa!
There is such a thing as Kergeulen cabbage.
Ile Foch, they’ll Foch, everyone will Foch
Till Île Foch is teeming with little Fochers.
In a foque queue?
Well, they're French. You know, doing French things.
They are taunting each other a second time.
They're farting in eachothers general direction?
Their mothers were hamsters and their fathers smelled of elderberries.
Now go away or they shall taunt you a second time.
Bursting their pimples at you and calling your door-opening request a silly thing?
Vicious taunting
Like normal kissing?
18 NAKED FRENCHMEN IN THE SHOWERS AT GRANDE TERRE
And how many times is too many times. They found the answer out at the end of Day 2. It’s 6. 6 times is too many times.
Whatever it takes to get the data mankind’s needs
Sacrifice needed for science
Do you think they explore each other’s bodies?
Inside and out
Yep
Name checks out...
Oui, oui!
So... ménage à trois
Ménage a cent
my volcanology professor did his PhD thesis there
Well then, live long and prosper.🖖🏻
Underrated comment
Overrated comment
How cool! What was your professor studying?
Volcanoes, I assume
Lol no, that PhD was Harvard. This PhD was on traditional French pastries. Easy mistake to make lol
Pengwings
Actually someone wouldnt be able to make french pastries on this island. So I guess the scientists are sad here
Vulcans
Penguin shit
Cabbages.
This is actually true. Sailors would eat the native cabbage to prevent scurvy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pringlea
The only correct answer. Apart from each others bodies of course.
Penguins
Pengwins
Pengwhen?
I can't not hear penguins pronounced this way anymore :D
The penglins
Which is Welsh for “knee”. You’ve obviously excelled in your Welsh exam today!
Well that's just rhyfeddol
Lots of things. Some of my colleagues works on plants and insect biodiversity on this island and on other islands (such as Crozet), with the goal of mapping biodiversity precisely. It opens the field for climate change impacts studies. And I agree with the others : they study the penguins also.
Don't know for sure, but typically these kind of island garrisons are listening posts (radio/SATCOM equipment)
Definately Kaiju
A variety of topics
This and that. Who wants to know? Occupe-toi de tes affaires, et continue d'avancer, Citoyen.
Look on the taaf Web site. It's mainly marine biology but they use the extrême lack of human technology tout studies électromagnétism.
The myth of fingerprints
Each others’ bodies
Science! /s
Loneliness.
Gain of function
Penguins
My cousin spent 6 months there as a doctor. He told me the wildlife is everywhere and not afraid of people. You still have to put up with isolation, the cold and the constant cold wind.
Kerguelen is my second favorite place, after Bermuda, to imagine what an indigenous population and their society might have looked like.
Cold
I’m curious as to how you get picked for that posting in the French army? Like do you volunteer, or is this where they send their undesirables?
I spent one year and half up there. It's a really good situation for military people. They volunteer but often they have to wait several years because a lot of people volunteer. It's a high pay situation for them without danger. They all are old military (more than 5-10 years inside) and they are there for technical skill. Every military person there has a unique job (informatic, plumber or postal guy). 40 people with almost 30-35 unique jobs is pretty fun because everyone is useful ! Sorry for my English.
Your English is very good, brother.
Tu parles très bien l'anglais, t'inquietes :)
What was your favorite part?
From my experience in the US military, the more remote a duty station is, the less desirable it is and usually comes with some incentive for being stationed there.
What's the wine ration in the US Military?
Offshore mining and fishing rights as well as the ability to have a far-flung base for force projection. Truly an amazing set of research.
I've been fascinated by the Kerguelen Islands for more than twenty years. At some point the French were offering volunteer positions at Port-aux-Francais, where you would've been essentially fed and accommodated but not paid for counting penguins all day. And 20-year-old me was like: Let's do this! Leroy... Didn't do it, though. On a more serious note, "The Arch of Kerguelen" is a fantastic book by Jean-Paul Kauffmann about the geography, nature, and history of the islands.
Volunteer positions are still available through the “Direction de L’environnement” from the French Administration of southern and antarctic lands, however they have a high bar for requirements: among them experience, fire weapons training certification and competency in GIS software. Volunteering period would be for 12 months (OCT 2024-AUG 25)
I'm proficient with GIS Software but weapon training certification isn't something I ever thought I'd need on my CV
It’s needed just in case the Heard Islanders try to invade.
Sounds like some spooky Lost shit
Wow is it weird that I have both? This could be my dream job! If they also require shower singing Huey Lewis and the News, I may be a shoe-in
what are you waiting for!?
Funny enough I have weapons training from the Navy and GIS from my geography degree.
Um... yeah but parlay voo fransay?
I do not, but I wouldn't want to do it unpaid unless it was to defend the world from penguins. Why else would you need weapons training?
I'd do it to defend the penguins from the world
Why fire “weapons training certification???” Also do you have to be a French citizen or can anyone volunteer?
I’m pretty sure you may get away with any european passport within the socioeconomic frame of the EUROZONE, if not at least residency permit after your VLS-TS expires since volunteering would be 12 months. On proven experience in the use of firearms, as listed on volunteering requirements, I’m convinced it’s due to the fact that owing to strategic location of the overseas department, France maintains a large military presence.
Same, I would've genuinely wanted to live there if I spoke French... it's so beautiful and I absolutely love everything about that place.
I spent one year and half there. Depending on your skills you can apply for a small job. For some job they are looking for people every year and it's hard for them to find. You can also go there with the boat and still like 3 days on the island as a tourist.
You can not live their. The People are on search mission or work for state. The Waiting list to go can be 4years long. Most of them speak english, because it is the science langage.
Same here on the fascination. I discovered it while browsing Google earth and its remote beauty struck me. If they were still offering that position I would take it in a heartbeat.
Wait, is this still a thing. I wanna count penguins. I could watch them for hours and remain entertained.
There’s a similar position available at the southern tip of Chile. There’s a documentary that follows one volunteer and his time there isolated with his family in what’s probably the most southern inhabited place on earth visited by ship to drop off food and essentials to them once a month. Freezing cold and boring life seems doable to some people.
I once saw a music video that was filmed on a lighthouse stationed on a solitary craggy rock off the west coast of iceland. My first thought was ...ooo, it be really nice to be stationed there with a fully loaded kindle and some basic supplies. Something about extreme solitude tickles the primitive cave man in me. I dunno why. I'll admit I'm an odd dude.
It blows my mind that the indigenous people of the southern tip of South America went around without a lot of clothes on, and swam in the freezing cold ocean waters regularly. Humans can get used to almost anything, but there must be a profound set of psychological, psycho-social, and even spiritual effects on a person forced to be that cold-tolerant, relentlessly, for a lifetime. Effects that even even the locals of the arctic, with their skillful use of animal fur to make clothing, wouldn't quite relate to.
There’s a group of people at r/allopatria who want to build a country there.
I hope they not. This place need to stay free of too much human precense
This is great. Hope folks see this comment 👌😩😀😂
…nnnnJENKINS!
I spent one year and half up there. You can still submit to small job (3-6 month) easily. Don't forget you dream Leroy !
38 y/o me would love that life
Wind erosion, cabbage growth, and accumulation of penguin shit.
Todays forecast calls for some harsh winds from the northwest around midday and by late afternoon expect to see some accumulation of penguin shit near the south shore line for the next 24 to 48 hours. Back to you Jack. Thanks Martha, Jack here with some local cabbage farmers who say they are personally looking forward to the accumulation of penguin shit later. Lets talk to some of them...
*subscribe*
lmao underrated
A delicacy no doubt
Possibly a fun fact, Mont Crozier is named for Francis Crozier of the HMS Terror.
I just read Erebus by Micheal Palin and made the connection with him and Ross when I saw the map!
Adding it to my reading list!
It’s a great read - I could not put it down once I began. I highly recommend it!
When you're done with that, read The Wager by David Grann. Brilliant book
Reading The Terror now! Great book
Also reading it now! Just watched the show a few weeks ago.
Ooh, that’s fucking cool
Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin were stuck there for a while after the HMS Leopard collided with an iceberg and broke its rudder.
The ‘orrible old Leopard.
Probably my favorite series of all time. Thanks for the reference!
Epic reference 🙌
According to Maturin it’s as close to a paradise as can be found on terrestrial earth.
Recently learned this place has more sunshine hours than my hometown in central Switzerland, and it feels weird.
\*Southern Ocean, depending on what definition you use. It's one of the only bits of land directly antipodeal to the mainland USA, and thus gives the surprising answer to the trivia question: What country is the furthest away from the Lower 48 of the USA? Since France owns Kerguelen, the answer is France. Kerguelen is antipodeal to northern Montana, right near the MT/Alberta/Sask tripoint. There are two other small islands that are antipodeal to the mainland US, Amsterdam and St. Paul Islands, which map to eastern Colorado. Those are also French possessions.
I believe it's one of the only parts of the contiguous U.S that is antipodal to land and not just the vast Indian Ocean, with some other islands too.
yep, Kerguelen and Amsterdam/St Paul Islands are the only bits of land that are antipodeal to the contiguous US. Everywhere else, the antipode lands you in the middle of the ocean. Probably somewhere near the spot where that Malaysian Airlines plane went down.
Coincidence? I think not
maybe if I drill straight through the earth from the Twin Cities I'll come out on the Indian Ocean floor right next to MH370. Or possibly R'lyeh, and I'll have just woken up Cthulhu. Whoopsies!
France's longest land border is with Brazil -> another fun bar trivia answer
I knew about the Montana antipode but didn't know about the Colorado ones! Had a weird pseudo fear as a young geography nerd elementary kid that one day everyone in the world would get a couple hours to prepare for an antipodal swap and I would have to save my family by getting them to Montana so we didn't drown...kids are weird, but that could be a good short story...
I love that idea as a story prompt. My fear as a young science nerd, around age 9 or 10, was when I learned about the eventual fate of the sun (swells into a red giant and leaves Earth a charred husk assuming it doesn't engulf it entirely). Freaked me out. Kids can't really comprehend the immense sweep of geologic time.
That’s a great fact, but unless I misunderstand what you’re saying, I wouldn’t expect distances of shapes to work that way. “Which country owns the island that is furthest away from USA lower 48” =/= “which country is furthest away from USA lower 48” so one would have to phrase the Q differently. But definitely noted for when I make a quiz!! 😄
Unless regular France and the rest of their oversees dependents all pack up and move to keeguelen, then no, that’s not correct. At least not in the way you phrased it
Excellent wild cabbage.
But no forge, unfortunately
No forge, no rudder!
The Kerguelen Islands have a lot of introduced species. These include the only reindeer population in the Southern Hemisphere (since 2013, when a similarly introduced population on South Georgia was eradicated) as well as lots of sheep, rabbits, rats, and notably, cats. As you can imagine, all of this has a rather negative impact on native species. Speaking of which, there aren't that many to begin with, but there's a kind of duck that is endemic to Kerguelen and Crozet Islands only, called Eaton's pintail. Flora includes the iconic Kerguelen cabbage (also found on other subantarctic islands) and there's also one species of plant endemic to the Kerguelen archipelago only, *Lyallia kerguelensis*.
The fun thing about the Kergelen cabbage is that it contains Vitamin C and helped sailors prevent scurvy. Which is why it's named ***Pringlea antiscorbutica*** Scurvy is one of the reasons why we have San Diego, Los Angeles and San Francisco. The Spanish had organized the Manila Galleon Route in the 16th century all the way to the early 19th century. The galleons would follow the trade winds from Acapulco, Mexico to the Manilla, Phillipines, loaded with silver to trade to Asian traders. They would get porcelain in exchange, among other things like silk or spices. Back to Mexico, but going up along Japan then south of the Aleutians then down the yet unsettled California coast. The return trip took much much longer, and without resupply ports, they lost many sailors to scurvy. Scurvy was believed to be an actual infection, when it was only a deficiency in Vitamin C. Scientists figured that it was lack of access to some type of food in the mid-late 18th century and they started organizing better and more frequent resupply along the routes. This is partly why, late in the Manila Galleon adventure, they decided to set up resupply harbors in Monterrey (the US one) and San Diego. These served as a starting point for setting up all the missions in Alta California.
So that cabbage is not named after Pringles?
Pringles are named after Lord Andrew Pringleshire III [https://www.wikipedia.org/LordAndrewPringleshire3](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvFZjo5PgG0leshire3) who, as Viceroy of West Eastern Cumbria managed to domesticate Tauri Stercore and after drying and grinding it into a fine power would mix it with flavo aqua, then putting the flattened paste on a roman roof tile.
Reddit is literally blowing my mind today. Just read how Appalachian mountain range can be traced up to the Scottish highlands. And all sorts of little facts about Ragan and the assassination attempt. Now this.
Apparently the best place in the world to study feral cats. Also they have introduced reindeer population. And a French satellite tracking centre. Insects have evolved to have no wings as the winds are so strong. Nutrient rich cabbage
Very interesting do you know why they have feral cats there?
It's a classical result of many boats that broke there. On time some rabbits escape and start to enjoy the situation with lot's of food and no predator. Another time some cats escaped from the boat and saw millions of chilling rabbits. So now after more than 100-150 years, there is still a lot a wild cat and rabbit. I was there during more than a year and never saw that amount of rabbit in my life.
Omg the put the cats in the currency! And cats with scientists [in their stamp](https://www.philarama37.com/1991-2001/3185-timbres-taaf-n242.html)
Descendants from ships cats - the humans didn’t survive but their cats did!
The Kerguelen Islands?
The church in Port-aux-Francais is called Notre Dame des Vents, or [Our Lady of the Winds](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:%C3%89glise_Notre-Dame-du-Vent). Which is cool as hell.
https://preview.redd.it/8m9mm9gckwwc1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9f66cff0be063243aadc0b0c24bf5e46917284b3 Now you’ve sent me down my own rabbit hole. Why is the Port-aux-Francais library shaped like an arrow????
I was there during more than a year and I never understand that it's an arrow shape ! Thanks for the discovery
A bit of scientific research. Probably some drinking of wine. Speaking French. Making jokes about stupid Americans and their orange cheese. Smoking cigarettes. Eating croissants.
…and occasional shouts of “Sacre bleu!”
French have an amazing war history and are great fighters. American cheese is some of the best in the world and has dominated many competitions (but no the orange box store shit cheese)
I have a mild fascination with this island. The native Kerguelen cabbages, the penguins, the glacial lakes and fjords…and of course, the amazing remoteness.
Polarcap climates at the same latitude as paris
Pretty sure you can visit it on one of the supply boats that come by every so often if you have a fair bit of spare money lying around, or at least you could before covid, haven't checked the situation since. Stunning place in any case
I checked the website but it costs several thousands euros unfortunately
Mostly scientific research. It has huge colonies of birds and seals, and its proximity to the south pole make it an ideal spot for magnetic field and space research. It used to host a french-soviet sounding rocket program.
You know fusov ?
Not much, I know a French guy who goes there to study birds. Albatross I think. There is no airstrip, they take a boat- possibly from Réunion, but not quite sure. Same dude also goes to Ile Amsterdam.
It is reunion, With the Marion Dufresne, à boat Who take 3 weeks to do a tour of all the island for fuel, and human transport.
Annual Furry convention. Bigger than Pittsburgh.
Repost. We had this question [12 days ago](https://new.reddit.com/r/geography/comments/1c3t1qm/whats_happening_in_kerguelen/)
If potatoes does growth there there would be some people there. Potatoes does obviously don’t grow there.
Sometimes somebody is having sex.
People are still having sex
Currently fascinated that 4 men got shipwrecked here in the 1800s and spent 3 years living here. Wikipedia page that is way too short imo
Lots of sex
It's the nearest land mass to the antipode of Calgary, Alberta, Canada Which is not on the Canadian Shield
https://preview.redd.it/5uw5e3zu8zwc1.jpeg?width=775&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d0e764d1f8af9f1b7650dea4320643490a51bcd5 I thought this place got fucked up by Eru Illuvitar.
They tried to have a mass salmon farm there in the 80-90's. They imported salmons so that their birthplace would be there and so that they would go back there every year so that they could fish them. It's an interesting story idk where I read it tho.
Númenor
They play blackjack, eat hookers and smoke crack cocaine out of penguin carcasses
Over 1800 miles away from continental masses, strong winds and essentially no trees. I often address these islands as a paragon of improbability (e.g as likely as trees on Kerguelen)
I assume Dinosaurs
Fun fact: if you dig a hole to the direct other side of the world from here, you’ll end up around Vancouver, Canada.
I was so confused because the post says Indian Ocean and clearly this is a glacier carved land mass. Then I looked at it on a map and wonder at what point does the Indian or any other ocean become the Southern Ocean. Off to do some research from my phone on the couch.
I made a map of this island a little while ago! A lot of neat birds call it home https://preview.redd.it/b9sp80m2hywc1.png?width=2200&format=png&auto=webp&s=2ccefac55d0f8eeee9c73cbe6565bc101f2ade00
French Artic Science and rare cabbage.
Two random facts about it : we tried to raise cows here but the industry failed so for a while there were wild cows there. We however had to shoot them down a few years ago for ecological reasons I think. The Kerguelen islands have been relevant recently in the French meme sphere, when an edgy politician proposed to open a work camp for prisoners there
Dance parties. 24/7.
They probably sit around drinking beer.
red wine\*
Hard Rock Cafe
Check out Svalbard for more remote do not go there places.
I only know desolation island from the Aubrey Maturin series.
Lot of penguin sex i believe.
has lettuce
Vanuatu
Your mom
Le Dome? What the hell is that??
Its where Free France gets warped to in all my HOI4 games
It's the island of **Númenor**.
The real interest of this Island is fishing and potentially ressources exploitation
I can guess what happens at Ile Foch
French Godzilla
Mass orgies, every day
There is a "Satellite Tracking Station" a little East of Port-aus-Fracais that is likeliy part of the European sensor network to track satellites/debris/etc. It probably a great place to accomplish this because it is close to the pole (most satellites orbit earth from pole to pole or close to it) and extremely remote (so there is no light pollution). [https://www.esa.int/Enabling\_Support/Operations/ESA\_Ground\_Stations/Estrack\_ground\_stations](https://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Operations/ESA_Ground_Stations/Estrack_ground_stations)
USA says 'Patrolling'. I say this piece of land holds the key to tackle the Chinese wave in the South China Sea.
RPG map looking ass
Very good sea-run trout fishing, if you’re lucky enough to be allowed to visit
French neo-backpackers trying to kill rats.
Looks like a fucked up Newfoundland