Dyer Island Nature Reserve Complex
The Dyer Island Nature Reserve Complex is a protected area off the coast of Gansbaai in the Western Cape, South Africa. It consists of 3 islets, namely Dyer Island and Geyser Island, and Quoin Rock, 25 kilometres away off the coast of Quoin Point Nature Reserve.[1][2][3]
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| Dyer Island Nature Reserve Complex | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Dyer Island and Geyser Island, off the coast of Gansbaai. And Quoin Rock off Quoin Point Nature Reserve. | |
| Location | Western Cape, South Africa |
| Nearest city | Gansbaai |
| Coordinates | 34.6829°S 19.4203°E |
| Established | March 9, 1988 |
| Governing body | CapeNature |
Combined, Dyer Island and Geyser Island are a designated Ramsar site.
Dyer Island is the largest in the group of islands, and is about 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) offshore from Gansbaai and Danger Point Lighthouse. It is home to a declining colony of African penguins (≈ 5000 individuals in 2015). Geyser Island is a smaller island nearby and is home to around 60,000 brown fur seals.
The shallow channel between the two islands is popularly known as Shark Alley.
The reserve cannot be accessed by the general public.
History
The original name of Dyer Island was Ilha da Fera (Island of wild creatures), so named by Portuguese seafarers in the 15th century.
It is named after Samson Dyer, an emigrant from the US to the Cape Colony in 1806, who lived on the island collecting guano, which he sold to mainlanders as fertiliser.
In 1988, the islands were named individual Provincial Nature Reserves. And in 2019, the two islands were designated as a Ramsar site.