On board was Corneille Nicholas Morphey, leader of the French expedition, which claimed the island by laying a Stone of Possession on Mahe, Seychelles’ oldest monument, now on display in the National Museum of History, Victoria.

It has a local population of 100, mostly centered in the southwest corner of the island, which allows them to make the short commute by boat to Mahé for work.

Well-known residents of Cerf formerly included the celebrated South African novelist Wilbur Smith, writer, explorer and treasure hunter William "Bill" Travis and yacht designer Phil Southwell.

Artists Lisa Swerling and Ralph Lazar lived for a year on the island in 1998, where they created the cult cartoon Harold's Planet.

On the north side of the island are superb coral reefs, where sea turtles swim with clown fish.