L'Esperance Rock

W1

L' Esperance Rock is a small, uninhabited island of volcanic origin in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It is the southernmost island administered by New Zealand Kermadecinseln and is located 80 km south-southwest of Curtis Iceland. From the East Cape on the North Island of New Zealand it is a good 600 km away.

The up to 70 m high island has a maximum diameter of 250 m and has an area of 4.8 ha (0.048 km ²) on. 8 km northwest of L' Esperance Rock is located barely above the sea surface superior Havre skirt.

Was discovered the island from the French navigator Jean -Michel Huon de Kermadec on ​​March 16, 1793 as part of the Expedition Joseph Bruny d' Entrecasteaux '; it is named after its research vessel L' Esperance.

The radius of 12 nautical miles around the island is part of the managed by the Department of Conservation 7450 km ² large marine reserve Kermadec Islands Marine Reserve. The island can therefore only be entered with a permit and only for scientific purposes.