Petermann Island is a small island just off the west side of the Antarctic Peninsula of Antarctica, located at just a short distance south of Booth Island and the Lemaire Channel. Just 2 km (1.2 mi) long, the low rounded island is home to the world's southernmost colony of Gentoo Penguins, and also hosts a number of Adelie Penguins. The views of ‘Iceberg Alley’ from the top of Petermann island is well worth the hike.
The island was discovered by a German expedition of 1873-74, who named it after geographer August Petermann. The French Antarctic Expedition of 1908-10 wintered over aboard ship in a cove on the southeast side of the island, named Port Circumcision because it was spotted 1 January 1909, the traditional day for the Feast of the Circumcision.
Huts built by the expedition are gone, although a cairn remains, along with a refuge hut built by Argentina in 1955. There is also a cross commemorating three members of the British Antarctic Survey who died in a 1982 attempt to cross the sea ice from Faraday station to Petermann.
Cruise Season – Nov - April
Currency – Pound Sterling (GBP)
Language – English
Population – 0
Electricity – 2 vertical square pins and one perpendicular below British style
Time – UTC plus five hours
International Country Telephone Code – + 44
Port Location – Expeditions to Petermann island can land at Port Circumcision.
Transport Links – Cruises to the Antarctic Peninsula generally depart from Port Ushuaia, Argentina. There are daily Aerolineas Argentinas flights from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia. LAN Chile (through its LAN Express services) flies a few times a week (currently three) from Santiago de Chile, stopping over in Puerto Montt and Punta Arenas.