Cheeseman Island
| Cheeseman Island | |
|---|---|
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| Waters | Pacific Ocean |
| Archipelago | Kermadec Islands |
| Geographical location | 30 ° 32 ′ 12 ″ S , 178 ° 34 ′ 5 ″ W |
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| length | 677 m |
| width | 433 m |
| surface | 20 ha |
| Highest elevation | 130 m |
| Residents | uninhabited |
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Cheeseman Island is one of two small volcanic islands in the southwestern part of the Pacific Ocean and is part of New Zealand . The neighboring island, a little over 500 meters away and accessible by crossing the Stella Passage , is the larger of the two and is called Curtis Island . The islands are administered from the Kermadec Islands . Both islands are located on a mountain ridge, the Kermadec Ridge, about 500 m below the sea surface .
The island was named after Thomas Frederic Cheeseman of the Auckland Museum , who was on board the steamship Stella when he visited the islands in 1887 . The passage between Cheeseman Island and Curtis Island, which is 18.3 to a maximum of 24 meters deep and has strong currents, was named after the ship. During the trip, the two islands and the Kermadec Islands were annexed in the name of the British crown.
In contrast to Curtis Island, Cheeseman Island consists of hard rock that has formed pinnacles and platforms. The radius of 12 nautical miles around the island is part of the 7450 km² Kermadec Islands Marine Reserve, which is administered by the Department of Conservation . Cheeseman Island can only be entered with a special permit, which is only granted to conservationists and researchers due to the islands' fragile ecosystem. About 200 m south there is a small sandbar, also named after Cheeseman, Cheeseman Shoal .
The sea around the islands is a rewarding, but difficult to reach destination for scuba divers because of its remote location.