Cerf Island
island in the Ste Anne Marine National Park
Cerf Island (1.31 km2) lies 4 km off the northeast coast of Mahé in the Seychelles.
Geography
Cerf Island measures 1.7 kilometres (1.1 mi) long and 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) wide, it reaches a height of 108 metres (354 ft). The island is surrounded by a coral reef and the geology is granitic. It is part of the Ste Anne Marine National Park.
History
Cerf Island was named after the royal French navy frigate Le Cerf which arrived at Port Victoria on 1 November 1756 during the Seven Years' War. 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.
In the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, Some properties on Cerf Island suffered minor damage.
Demographics
Cerf Island is one of the islands in the marine park to have a small local population (not resort staff or rangers).
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.
The public source identifies “Cerf Island” as island in the Ste Anne Marine National Park. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Cerf, Island and island.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Cerf Island”, the useful work is to connect “island in the Ste Anne Marine National Park” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
Place names and jurisdictional language are key evidence: both can reveal earlier catalogue descriptions and overlooked record series. The source revision retrieved here is dated Aug 2, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q28685. Authority coordinates are -4.633, 55.499. 1 of 1 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1756, 2004 and 1998.
Modern boundaries and familiar names can conceal earlier jurisdictions or structures that do not align with the present site. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.
- Historic place names
- Jurisdictional context
- Routes into maps and plans
Contemporary maps, plans, listed-building records, estate papers and the responsible local or national archive.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Cerf Island”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Cerf Island primary sources, Cerf Island archive and Cerf research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Cerf Island”?
- Which earlier names or jurisdictions may reveal additional records?
- What physical evidence or contemporary plan supports the description?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Cerf Island” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.