Rose Atoll

Rose Atoll lies about two hundred and seventy kilometres east of Tutuila, the southernmost point of the United States and one of the smallest atolls anywhere, with two islets totalling well under a square kilometre inside a reef whose coralline algae give it a distinctly pink colour. It is a national wildlife refuge and a marine national monument, holding nesting seabirds and green turtles, and it is closed to the public entirely.

Background

People of the Manu'a Islands sometimes call the atoll Motu O Manu, meaning Bird Island. The reef is nearly square, 2.6 by 2.7 kilometres, and the whole atoll covers 6.33 square kilometres, yet only 0.05 square kilometres stays dry at high tide. A channel about 80 metres wide opens into the lagoon. Rose Island, 3.5 metres high, lies in the east, and Sand Island, 1.5 metres high and without vegetation, lies in the north. The earliest Western sighting came on June 13, 1722, on Jacob Roggeveen's voyage, and the name Rose dates from Louis de Freycinet's sighting in 1819. Apollo 10 came down in the sea nearby on May 26, 1969. Around 97% of American Samoa's seabirds live here.

Source: Wikipedia, "Rose Atoll"

What you'll find

• The pink reef - coralline algae giving the reef rim its colour.
• The two islets - the tiny land area inside the reef.
• The seabird colonies - the nesting populations the refuge protects.
• The southernmost point - the southern extremity of United States territory.

When to go

Not applicable; the atoll is closed to public access. Research visits require federal permits. There is no visitor season.

Practical notes

This is closed to visitors: there is no legal public access and no transport. Permits are issued only for research and management. It appears here as a place, not as a destination.

Nearby

Ta'u is west, and Tutuila is far west beyond it.

Key facts