Mercury Island
Mercury island is a lump of rock lying just off the desert coast of Namibia. The nearest human settlement is about one hundred miles away, across the parched sands. This tiny islet is home to one pair of naturalists and several thousand pairs of penguins, cormorants, and other seabirds. The little black marks in the foregound of this photo are some of the African penguins.
In past times the penguins used to build their nests underground, in the thick earthy guano which lay several metres deep over the whole island. Then the Victorians came and found the place, and took away the whole lot.
The inclusion of this photograph in the Cruising category does not constitute a recommendation. On the contrary; this is a tough and rather dangerous place to sail. The yacht anchored off the island is our own.
2001