Kerguelen: Living on One of the World’s Most Isolated Islands

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Writing by Christine Benedetti
Editing by Alexander Williard
Audio by Graham Haerther
Motion graphics by Josh Sherrington and Maddy
Thumbnail design by Simon Buckmaster
Project management by Gina Giorgi
Select footage courtesy the AP Archive and Getty Images

[@tobiasbremner9623]

Kergeulen Island is also the location of the "southernmost graveyard" of the Second World War. A German warship stopped at Kergeulen to resupply and do routine maintenance work. While painting a German sailor fell from the sport his painting and died. He was buried on the island, making the place the "southernmost graveyard" of World War II.

[@sadams12345678]

That German warship was the armed merchant raider Atlantis.

[@dugroz]

@@sadams12345678 What was there to get supplies from?

[@davidvanniekerk356]

Dankie Tobia. Wie heissen die name aus die soldaten? What was the name of the soldier?

[@tobiasbremner9623]

@@davidvanniekerk356 That, I don't know

[@I_Santos_]

@@dugroz cabbage? 🤷‍♂️

[@ExxotikGaming]

I absolutely love this series! Videos about Tristan da Cunha and those rarely-visited high-Arctic Russian islands would be neat as well. I’ve always wanted to travel there!

[@JamesPhieffer]

Alert would be an interesting subject, as the most northerly permanent settlement in the world.

[@juliusnepos6013]

@@JamesPhieffer yeah, or those scattered pacific and indian ocean islands aswell

[@dugroz]

He did a seriese about Tristan da Cunha on the Extremities podcast.

[@MsEKN]

Me too!

[@EDGARDODAMOLEPARDILLO-el9nq]

If france sell this island to china its very dangerous due china plan to rule the world and all species will be lost in the area and they are also treat the antartic and sorounding island. Be careful and study first before making a dangerous decession. China is treat of the whole world. China wants to rule the world!!!.

[@Tiro_Chopper]

There has been a mistake in the french to english translation at 11:30. He isn't saying winds have been superior or equal to 39 (to which the translator added kph), but 30 knots, so around 55kph. It's a pretty large difference. Edit: it's obvious to me now how mean my comment might sound, I made it so in order to gain traction and attention from the people behind this video, but know that you have all my respect and thankfulness for bringing us this kind of amazing content.

[@louisjx8009]

"30 noeuds" et non "39" :D

[@Cyril8204]

I was about to make that comment

[@memofromessex]

He also calls the UK/Britain as England and British as English

[@Tiro_Chopper]

@@memofromessex Please forgive the french. We are a sophisticated people, but how kinda split but also very unified but still actually split the UK is isn't common knowledge in France

[@samuelb.9515]

Another error: typo at 10:32. It’s “two” not “tow.” These errors should have been corrected before making the video public.

[@andrewashton195]

I once passed Kerguelen Island on a ship, if you sail a great circle route from South Africa to Australia, I think we went straight to Melbourne, you go south into the roaring forties and pass to the north of the island. I always thought it was uninhabited!

[@patsfreak]

The only leaving in groups of three thing seemed weird until I realized it takes two people to haul one back. Smart and probably tested.

[@alexd302]

At my boarding school some 60 years ago, they had this rule of three. One can stay with the injured whilst the other goes for help. Makes a lot of sense.

[@uwu_senpai]

There is also an early warning system for missiles on the Kerguelen. That's also why there is military personnal.

[@polka23dot70]

What is the purpose of this early warning system? Warning peguins?

[@uwu_senpai]

@@polka23dot70 It warns against incoming missiles.

[@lloydadkins885]

satellite tracking station for the ESA Galileo GPS system

[@nhancao4790]

@@polka23dot70 Because submarine based nukes could be launched from anywhere in the world.

[@polka23dot70]

According to Wikipedia, there are no military activities on the Kerguelen Islands: The former sounding rocket range to the east of Port-aux-Français is currently the site of a SuperDARN radar. Since 1992, the French Centre National d'Études Spatiales (CNES) has operated a satellite and rocket tracking station, located 4 km east of Port-aux-Français.

[@delgermuruntsagaankhuu6951]

I can't explain why but even though this show is exceptionally enjoyable, I enjoy video's about logistics more now. I blame the wendover guy

[@xp7575]

He's only half as interesting as this guy

[@oliverfarley7552]

@@xp7575 nice

[@wh2960]

I feel like the wendover guy and the hai guy teamed up to make this

[@everythingautomotiveeta5839]

I agree strongly

[@uydagcusdgfughfgsfggsifg753]

Fuck that, they’re alright but this is WAY better

[@MattOlsen294]

I love this series SO much.

[@wyattmiller9539]

Me too

[@turdferguson353]

Me too

[@brettvv7475]

Same.

[@takashi.mizuiro]

yes same

[@MsEKN]

Ditto!

[@guidodelpapa3875]

I live in Longyearbyen, Svalbard, and now I feel like I live in a megalopolis (with a whooping 2100 inhabitants) compared to Kerguelen

[@JihadBunnydick]

What brought you to Svalbard?

[@wahid-lg1kk]

That's a cool place to live. Long days followed by long nights.

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

Now, this is a real extremity. I've been loving the new format, but I kind of wish we could get a full podcast season of Kerguelen. It reminds me of Pitcairn; there must be so much more to learn about that this twenty-minute video can cover.

[@demonhalo67]

Kerguelen reminds me alot of the Falklands, which I had the pleasure of visiting for 8 weeks in 2013. Island life is great and I recommend it to anyone.

[@dirkhartman9572]

Falklands is an amazing place

[@jigaraphale]

Imagine talking 20 min about Kerguelen without mentioning the French-USSR join space program... the most surprising thing about this place I think.

[@KelsomaticPDX]

Can you explain the connection or provide any links to more information? Not finding much on a cursory search.

[@jigaraphale]

​@@KelsomaticPDX just go on the wiki ... The CNES launched several rocket/probes (Dragons) to study the atmosphere, and since the island is on the same magnetic line as the Arkhangelsk Oblast in USSR, they decided to launched more rockets to study the magnetosphere and to trigger aurora borealis on the other side of the Earth. At the end, more than 100 French and Soviet rockets were launched.

[@Marquis-Sade]

@@jigaraphale Wait you can actually trigger the aurora borealis like that?

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

Wow, you would've expected him to notice something like a French-USSR joint space program.

[@jigaraphale]

@@Marquis-Sade very small and localised ones, but yes

[@gaymooshroom371]

hi, just letting you know that there are currently no captions on this video as the auto-generated ones are only for french! Please add some subtitles so that people who need them can also enjoy this video :)

[@SteveBrandon]

I know the difference in climate between Kerguelen and places in the world with mid-latitude temperate zones is due to having completely different ocean currents and wind patterns as well as no nearby continents, but I still find it astonishing that treeless, tundra-seeming Port-aux-Français is only at the equivalent southern latitude to Vancouver in the northern hemisphere and is closer to the equator than is London, England.

[@awrybowtie5591]

As a French person in the US, the way he talked about food and meals made me homesick for islands despite the fact they are further away from mainland France than the US lol

[@NPJGlobal]

Pareil pour moi !

[@arthemis1039]

You could try to take a trip to Saint Pierre and Miquelon or Saint Martin lol

[@devoutsalsa]

I've wanted to visit there ever since I saw it on Google Earth in 2006!

[@d.s.8227]

I'm more of a Tristan da Cunha guy myself, but I get you

[@SolarAdrift]

@@d.s.8227 Slightly more feasible, but still difficult as hell.

[@awsomo53]

I first saw it on a globe when i was in kindergarten in 2000. I knew it was a research station and always wanted to go. $21,000 is a lot though

[@StuffandThings_]

I'm more of a fan of Ile Amsterdam, I like forested places and holocene volcanism. All of the subantarctic islands are pretty dramatic though.

[@NWYVR]

​@@awsomo53 they don't want people visiting because we don't live on a globe and the more people visit the sooner they will find out.

[@Delmarvellous]

Thank you for this! I've been curious about Kerguelen ever since I learned it is the land that lies closest to the antipode of where I once lived: Rice Lake, Wisconsin, USA. (An antipode, or antipodal point, is the point on the planet located diametrically opposite to a specific geographic location, & therefore, is the farthest point in the world from that location.)

[@finlayson]

And Kerguelen Island is actually antipodal to land: "an area of thinly inhabited plains on the border between the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan and the US state of Montana en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antipodes#Cities_and_geographic_features

[@NWYVR]

No such thing as an antipod because the earth is a flat plane.

[@okagedesu]

Randomly found the island while bored at work. That video really does it justice, great job.

[@gaius_enceladus]

I *love* finding out about isolated places like this! Tristan da Cunha and Bouvet Island also interest me.

[@StuffandThings_]

How people live in extreme, remote places like this has always nagged at the back of my mind. Super neat to have well organized videos about them! Kerguelen has got to be one of the better topics for this, such an unknown and dramatic land, almost like Antarctica's Antarctica.

[@L_87]

Sounds like heaven

[@stevebarlow3154]

It's not mentioned in the video but the seas around the Kerguelen Islands are some of the roughest in the world. The largest ever wave was recorded here, over 100 feet high.

[@1purapericulo]

I actually been to kerguelen. The islands are lovely in spring.

[@BlueInk912]

Lucky for you. Thank you for sharing. I am sure you did well and do the station proud. Stay safe & prosper regards ZA 🇿🇦

[@Tiro_Chopper]

As a frenchman myself, this was passionating. Can't wait to see more from Extremities!

[@Olonne85]

Then learn about Port Couvreux failed colonization attempt in Kerguelen islands. It's super interesting in it's own way !

[@samuelb.9515]

C’était une vidéo passionnante. = This was a passionate video. « Passionating » is not a word. But I completely agree!

[@NeoLithiumCat]

@@samuelb.9515 Could be going for "fascinating"?

[@ronti2492]

Terrific doco- the almighty YT algorhythm led me here. I've spent time on Reunion, of course it is the logistic base for Kerguelen. The island reminds me of Macquarie Island, another sub-Antarctic island, but this one is in the remit of Australia, with my home town of Hobart the admin support base ( =and the HQ of the Australian Antarctic Division). Might I suggest Macquarie as a subject for a future doco. Great work interviewing the staff too! Thankyou thankyou!

[@wesmahan4757]

I just discovered this show (and thus "Extremities") tonight. This, to me, is absolutely gripping and fascinating, as much as any show or movie I watch in "regular" media. Keep it up! I just subscribed and will be watching ALL these shows. (And now, BTW, I'm going to do a search on Crozet Islands, and St. Paul & Amsterdam Islands . . . I'm a geology nut, but I haven't heard of any of these before tonight!)

[@Dave_Sisson]

The McDonald Islands are/were just south of Kerguelen and they recently doubled in size following a number of volcanic eruptions. The islands were joined together, so now there is only a single McDonald Island. Owned by Australian rather than France, but very geologically interesting.

[@Blaqjaqshellaq]

If you dug a hole straight down from the Kerguelen Islands, you'd come out at Prince Albert, Saskatchewan!

[@richardboote2370]

But with grubby clothes and a worn out shovel!

[@willi19391]

@@richardboote2370 And exhausted.

[@gwarlow]

@@willi19391 And burned to a crisp!

[@Dutch_Uncle]

But then you would have to deal with Canadian Customs and Immigration.

[@Matthy63]

11:35 just a quick correction, he didn't say "trente-neuf" (39) but "trente nœuds)" (30 knots) : that's 55.5 km/h or 34.5 mph. Edit: got beaten to it. Just want to clarify I love the episode, amazing work.

[@HeWhoIsNamedPatrick]

The peace and quiet, sky at night, and the air there must be orgasmic.

[@mohammadzuhairkhan8661]

I was so excited, but then I realised that I watched this on Nebula already xd.

[@RW-ce8kp]

Extremely well done series. I'm hooked :) I'm fascinated by remote locations.

[@Patya69]

Same, they're so interesting for some reason.

[@tedcabana]

Kerguelen Island is where Markus Blackmore, in the story, "Manner of the Sundog", had been given land to establish his equestrian ranch. However, he never got the chance to retire to this beautiful island before his untimely misfortune. Though I believe his brother Jet, a Veterinarian, inherited the Blackmore estate, and menagerie of prized horses. How I would love to live such a life!

[@tomgardner8842]

Hey, I have an Idea: What if you do a collaboration between you and this wendover Guy and this half as interesting Guy? You could even start a streaming service together!

[@RedHair651]

They even have the same voice so no need to send recordings around

[@Daisy-sh8vd]

@@RedHair651 are they not the same guy?

[@tugabooga]

@@Daisy-sh8vd r/whoosh

[@goldengolem4725]

Well you got your wish, shockingly.

[@theanonymouschicken169]

They did on the Half as Interesting video, ‘Every mistake we’ve ever made IV’

[@eileenhetherington3704]

Interesting island, but I am missing lots of info here. What are the temperature ranges? What native plants grow here? What are the water sources? I would love to see less interviews and more of the actual topography.

[@jeffgumawid7554]

Hey man. Can you do some on these Philippine remote gems? Cagayancillo Island, Palawan Turtle Islands, Tawi-Tawi Kalayaan, Palawan (smack in the middle of the Spratlys conflict) Babuyan Islands, Cagayan

[@wyzzkyd.]

the entire Kerguelen island is just giant trees that grew from below the waters the just living on cut down tree stumps an roots that goes all direction that now petrified

[@muneirovalibas6194]

*...most isolated islands...* Introverts : I've finally found the birthlands of my people.

[@secretsquirrel6124]

Argentinians

[@G12GilbertProduction]

INTP guy regreet you! :)

[@solstice1681]

INFJ here I was just thinking how do I move there until I heard you have to go out in groups of 3 😂 I think Tristan De Cunha seems more appealing.

[@Yha1000itz]

Those are the places we could call home

[@NikolayTach]

Amsterdam Island and Saint-Paul Islands also have great brilliant French minds working there.

[@Serendip98]

11:36 I think he says that winds are over "30 noeuds" (= 30 knots = nautical miles/h), so 30 x 1.852m / hour = 55.56 km/h. I can't see any reason why he should say "39"'.

[@d.s.8227]

These guys seem so sweet and genuinely happy

[@towaritch]

The guy at the beginning seems a bit infatuated with his smirk.

[@brittanybaker4678]

Great idea for the new channel! Quality content, great coverage of the contextual issues, and the interviews giving us the perspective of the locals in these fascinating places really take it to the next level!

[@felixlfv]

Also at 11:35 the wind speed indicated is 30 nods which is 55km/h or 34 mph :)

[@MirzaAhmed89]

Knots, not nods.

[@paddington1670]

@@MirzaAhmed89 Good enough for an ESL

[@vegard9908]

Greetings to you, Sam! I really like the genre of this channel. (I am subbed to both of your other channels btw). Remote places has always fascinated me. With this comment, I would just like to point you in the direction on Jan Mayen (seeing as I am Norwegian, and all). But I do think you might find it quite interesting. No tourism possible I'm afraid. But the fact that it is serviced ~twice per year by military cargo planes, says quite alot about how remote it actually is.

[@michaelk2208]

I absolutely love this channel. Have listened to all Extremities podcasts on Spotify previously, which where super interesting and to see the channel starting on KZbin as well is great! Keep up the great work!

[@danemb3300]

I read a book by a French priest who visited the island he said it was very windy most of the time and it was a miserable place to live for the scientists who manned the base, he said that most of the scientists at that time we're not on speaking terms with one another and couldn't wait to be relieved of their stint there.

[@A_literal_zombie]

When I'm older I actually plan on working at port aux francais as a pastry chef, still have a while to go though.

[@A_literal_zombie]

This video(I think I saw it on the main channel first) is one of like, five sources I could find

[@felixlfv]

Great video, there is a small spelling mistake at 3:51 : Christophe Guinet works for CNRS and not CRNS ;)

[@bukai_oklm]

11:35 he said 30 noeuds, not 39! that is 55.5km/h which is 34.5mph

[@damianousley8833]

Captain James Cook visited the island during one of his voyages, mainly for fresh water. He described it as the most desolate place on earth that he had seen. A Frenchman who described it as prime real estate "A second France". When the news came back, how terrible it was, he was dismissed.

[@Flattithefish]

Yea and A but more north One of the other smaller French souther arctic islands apparently was visited by one of the Magellan boats

[@TomKellyXY]

This sounds like an amazing place to do research at a French island territory until you remember that the other option was to visit Bora Bora.

[@jillcox6685]

Will admit to never ever heard about such a place before! Thank you for extended my knowledge with an excellent video.

[@eRR0Rq]

Fun fact: the Northern part of Kerguelen Islands lies on the same latitude as Paris (if you disregard the algebraic sign). Still, it bears more resemblance to Iceland.

[@tweed.k]

just watching this for escapism. my country's and world's situation and future are terrifying to bear, so watching places almost isolated from the world gives me a slim hair of hope and a brief moment to disconnect from reality...

[@Quiestre]

if WW3 starts I am going there no matter what

[@Marcusvi24]

Would love if you'd do a similar video of Pitcairn and the Falkland Islands!

[@reynardfoxx6753]

Thank you I've never heard of this place before. It's like a French Falkland islands with no neighbors.

[@kugul1683]

I never thought about that lol, maybe it's more like France's South Georgia

[@xiphosura413]

Would love to see it some day. It is a dream of mine to work on Macquarie Island, a similar environment.

[@erikziak1249]

The last year I feel like being on an island, yet located in central Europe. Basically just my flat and my workplace. To be fair, not one full year, but at least 9 months. I am kind of surprised how well I cope with this. Socially isolated, but I have been my whole life. I used to be sad, but not anymore. I just live a day-to-day life, with an innocent smile of a fool on my face... Alone. Lonely. Helpless. Not complaining. Taking it as it is. I bet I would be an anti-social weirdo even on that isolated island. Somebody who does his job, but outside it, remains invisible. Non-existent.

[@charlenemessick5822]

I think I understand what you say. Always wanted to be less socially awkward, but at some point you have to accept that it is just who you are!

[@xn9333]

Your not weird, most people Fxckin suck and most people are burning in Hell but yeah I understand and I feel for you I really do

[@gamermapper]

I feel really sad for you. I don't know why you have these issues, but this is really bad for your mental health. I used to be just like you, but right now I've massively improved by life and talk way more to people! Idk whether this is because of your social awkwardness or anxiety, or maybe because there was a covid pandemic but even today there aren't really a lot of places to meet people, or because the place you live in is generally not that sociable to make it easy to make friends. But I'll still tru to help! If you have social anxiety, you should probably talk to a psychologist that could help you overcome these issues. If you don't know where to meet people, start doing some activities and hobbies and go to events to meet new people. If your entire environment isn't really friendly to making friends, you should really try going to a new country to see whether you'll prefer this culture! But you should try to do something with that because otherwise, you could really be depressed and sad!

[@erikziak1249]

@@gamermapper Do not feel sad for me. It is a waste of time and I do not want it (nor do I deserve it). Please enjoy life. I managed to convince myself that the reason for me being in this "limbo" state is for others to appreciate their luck. I know this is a stupid lie. But do not think I am depressed. Nope, I am not. I take pills, already for many years. I do not feel like being punished or mistreated or being treated unfair. I found a way to cope, even though I know and realize it just a lie that I tell to myself. I can only hope for dementia to kick in before existential crisis, haha. Do not take anything I write too seriously. I have also "bright sides" sometimes. When I see that a tiny bit of effort from my side made some other people smile and remember of their childhood or early adulthood. I cherish those little joys I am a tiny insignificant part of, that I see in faces of some random people. I am genuinely fine, relaxed, not anxious or depressed. Or so I think. As long as it works there is no need to change it. Right? Best wishes to all good people on this pale blue dot we call Earth. I will be satisfied and happy, if you are at least half as satisfied and happy than I am. Really no need to feel bad for me. I am just the most lucky "bastard" on this planet, nor realizing it fully. But I am working on it. Slowly. Better not rush it, I want it to last.

[@Scott-fj9uf]

Thank you for this. This island(s) have captivated me for decades.

[@vladimirsuhov4285]

Any plans for an episode on Wrangel Island? Spent most of my childhood there (late 80s) and I know it's not the same anymore (not so much science, more of an army base now) but still curious about what it's really like there these days. Maybe my dad could even help with some contacts, but it's hard to promise.

[@inari.28]

I'm (obviously) not Sam but I second this, I would really like to see an episode on Russian Arctic islands

[@steve-xx6or]

Was there alot of polar bears?

[@drill_fiend1097]

This island is in my dream bucket list! Such as exotic place with unusual cabbage and few cats nearby the base!

[@PresidentSquigglyMiggly]

Can't wait for the next video, I've been a wendover sub for ages and just found extremities. Tristan de Cunha coming up soon I suppose?

[@MS-bh3uw]

Fascinating. Great job.

[@funnyperson4027]

the geology of this microcontinent is absolutely fascinating

[@vb51]

Great vídeos! We need more episodes! Should make one abou St peter St paul’s islands. One of the most bizzar settelments in the entire world

[@kevinvereecken9994]

Small translation error in an otherwise fascinating episode. At 11:35 the district officer says in January they had 28 out of 31 days with winds in excess of "trente nœuds" which is wrongly translated as thirty-nine kilometers an hour. Trente nœuds in reality is thirty knots, or roughly 56 km/h. Wind speeds not uncommon in the roaring forties.

[@janesmith9024]

Wonderful . I had never heard of them but do know of Reunion. Very good of Captain Cook to give credit to Kerguelen and the French for first discovery. I hope we can keep most people away from all these isolated places and humans always spoil them. Ah to be alone..... so hard to achieve

[@Stikkelsbær]

This place has fascinated me my whole life and I dream of visiting/working there.

[@marky0071]

Excellent episode! Informative and very interesting. Thank you.

[@zeddyfin]

South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands 🇬🇸

[@mrIpodmagic]

I would love to visit this place

[@Keepone974]

I'm from Reunion Island so I knew about Kerguelen but It's nice seeing documentaries in English about such remote French places :D.

[@mesteme]

Not sure I understand this aspect ratio, that sacrifices almost 50% of a common laptop screen, which I'm guessing is the most common non handheld device accessing yt.

[@aktazf1192]

Most people watch on their phone which these days is usually a longer and skinnier ratio than the standard 16:9 you are used to on a laptop. If more viewers watch on their phone it makes sense to use a ratio better suited for that

[@mesteme]

@@aktazf1192 yes indeed however, when watching from a handheld device you generally are already accepting a compromise, also many devices let one zoom the content enough to fill the available view area. When viewing from a large device you expect a high quality and it is silly, in my view, to force both segments to a lower user experience.

[@dreffon9213]

There is a translation mistake around 11:30 when the district chief talks about the wind. He says "plus de trente (30) noeuds", which means "more than 30 knots (55 kph)". The translator misunderstood and thought he said "plus de trente-neuf (39)". By the way, you're doing an amazing job, I'm really impressed by the quality of your work on all of your channels!

[@djp1234]

I can't turn on the bell notifications for this channel.

[@nehalmahmudkhan1549]

This is one amazing video. I would love to see more of great contents like this. Keep them coming

[@АндрейМаломуж-г5т]

My dream from early childhood is to visit this island. I know it’s impossible mission for common people but if I have such opportunity I will learn Franch and be a science.

[@NoPrivateProperty]

my 8th grader just picked this island off the map, so we searched it on youtube and learned about it. pretty cool technology

[@gmicg]

Since 1950, France has decided to build a 10.000 ft runway near Port-aux-Français. Nothing has been done so far.

[@jamesfuria3939]

I have a very old map of this island that shows the prime meridian in Paris.

[@forthrightgambitia1032]

A bit strange seeing Louis XV as a medieval (and thin) king.

[@TravelingisFREEDOM]

This seems to be a fun place, I hope I can visit sometime in the future. Seeing and sharing places like this is why I love traveling and make videos so much!

[@NahmiiVuhuni]

Am I the only one not able to turn on notifications for this channel?

[@ibec69]

Cook wrote something similar after he discovered Australia, that it was uninhabited. Only local wildlife, he wrote, although he had met Aborignal Australians.

[@BernardvonSchulmann]

I have always wanted to see a documentary about living on the Keguelen Islands

[@CrystalStearOfTheCas]

@11:36 it's 30 nœuds (30 nautical knots) and not trente NEUF. So that's 56kph. You should correct it, that's twice as much

[@towaritch]

That's why there is the famous French bad word " Tete de noeud" ( a " noeud" in French slang is a testicle).

[@philippelebon814]

@@towaritch nœud is for the "gland" (end of the stick)

[@def8332]

Wide aspect ratio. Are we making movies now?

[@pangolin83]

Next he'll release a Snyder cut if you're not careful

[@artieash6671]

I think the speed of the voice over is turned up a notch above normal. Wish it wasn't.

[@thompersonal4621]

I got interested in this set of remote islands back in 1978 when I created a country called the Sovereignty of Camdenshire as an interactive simulation with others to study the political process and used this island as its national territory to include the Crozet Islands as the Commonwealth of North Canterbury. It's curious how differently the name of the islands have been pronounced. Here, its Ker-GOO-len. Others have pronounced it as KER-ge-len, Ker-guy-len and as Ker-geh-LEN. However its pronounced, I enjoy these videos about life on the island since, apart from encyclopedia entries back then, I knew very little about the islands themselves beyond the basics. To see it is a real treat. Thanks. Btw: the avatar is Camdenshire's national flag. Another btw, its not the South Indian Sea, but the South Indian Ocean.

[@jhenin06]

Translation correction : at 11:33, the Director says "Trente noeuds", not "Trente neuf" : it is equivalent to 55km/h or 34miles/h

[@suvi7641]

song in the beginning is nuit by tony anderson

[@Paul-te8mz]

Many thanks for the really interesting vid. With resident sheep and rabbits, and abundant fish, it would be wonderful if Kergullen could become self sufficient, at least in relation to food supply. Although there are no trees, the soil appears fertile and at least root vegetable should be possible, with seaweed as fertiliser. And with the winds as described, no reason it couldn't become self sufficient in respect of energy.

[@connecticutaggie]

I can imagine that Starlink is going to be a huge benefit to these islands

[@vividfiber6668]

lol starlink isnt happening. Free internet? capitalism hates free things. They will regulate and create laws and hurdles to the point where it will never be realized on any useful scale. The three companies that have a monopoly on inernet services will lobby politicians around the world to stop it dead in its tracks through as many laws and regulations as possible. why do you think we dont have it yet?

[@connecticutaggie]

@@vividfiber6668 1) Starlink already happened, there are lots of people already using it 2) Who said anything about free? 3) Right now, Starlink does require collaboration with the local Government because the current Starlink satellites require a local base station. Once the new Starlink satellites with laser in orbit communications, this will no longer be required. The can force receivers into hiding but eliminating them will be very difficult.

[@eoinmcgrath6167]

Great channel man

[@aidenaidenen7728]

I straight up want to get a degree in environmental science and learn French just to go here and eat Kerguelen cabbage. the idea that there is a food I will never have the opportunity to consume drives me crazy

[@rlt9492]

There are some trees, just not native ones, mostly Monterey Cypress planted in the settlement, I think I also saw some type of European Aspen in that video, also not native. There is one native woody shrub, the Kerguelen Cabbage (Pringlea antiscorbutica), that looks like a head of Napa Cabbage stuck atop a small thick trunk, and one woody sub-shrub, Azorella selago, that looks like a green couch cushion with tiny sharp rosettes of leaves. The climate could either be classified as a heavily ocean-moderated tundra climate or a subpolar oceanic climate, and conditions there are very similar to the Faroe Islands. There is no permafrost in the lowlands and there are many bogs.

[@justins8802]

It’s unfortunate that they can’t have air service, particularly for medic evaluation, given that the Boeing 314 Clipper ,which first flew in 1939, could have made a round trip from Reunion without refueling. There are a few modern seaplanes - I wonder if one could provide service there.

[@XRP747E]

Extraordinarily interesting! Thank you.

[@MisakaMikotoDesu]

1:30 Dude has a KEK key on his wall.

[@theobserver9131]

The quality of your productions is exquisite! If I were given the invitation to influence your style, the only thing I would humbly suggest would be that you speak in a more natural and casual manor. I'm not sure if there is a name for the speech style you employ, but I notice that a number of others use it as well...I am unable to appreciate the desire to do so... probably my own shortcoming.

[@Nitro0xide]

This series is amazing

[@deirdre108]

It would be interesting to try some greenhouses or a least cold frames here.

[@tangerinefizz11]

It's so starkly beautiful.