Pearson Island

Shelter from

SE – S – SW  (Northern)

S – W – NW  (Southern)

Indicative Anchoring Positions

33° 56.4’S   134° 16.1’E  (Northern)

33 ° 57.45’S   134° 15.95’E  (Southern)

Note.    Indicative anchoring positions are for reference only and should not be used as waypoints.  The best position for anchoring depends on many factors including vessel draft, tide, and forecast wind.

Pearson Island is a rugged and beautiful destination located about 35 miles from the nearest point on the mainland. It is actually the largest and most northerly of a group of five islands (and some large rocks) known collectively as the Pearson Islands.

It is a steep and rocky island with no beach and, because it has never been farmed, it has a thriving population of wallabies which was isolated at the time the island was created by sea level rise around 8,500 – 10,000 years ago. As well as the wallabies which can be easily spotted from the anchorage, seals haul out to snooze in the sun on the sloping rocky coast.

Landing on the sloping rocks is very difficult to achieve safely, especially if a swell is present, but once ashore the scramble to the peak of the island is extremely rewarding. The northerly anchorage is likely to be the most suitable in settled summer weather, but may become untenable if the wind turns easterly at night. If this happens, the nearest safe anchorage is Flinders Island about 15 miles away.

The holding is good in both anchorages.