A 1.6 km road and aerial cableway connect the base to the sea, where supplies are brought by the vessel Marion Dufresne.

[2] In 1840 the Ross expedition anchored near the island to bring provisions to a stranded group of eleven elephant-seal hunters.

Other island breeders in smaller numbers are southern giant petrels, grey-headed albatrosses and Kerguelen terns.

Crozet blue-eyed shags, black-faced sheathbills and Eaton's pintails are resident.

The smaller birds nest only at higher altitudes because of their vulnerability to rat predation at lower levels.