Island not Island

[Boreades]

that works... until somebody builds a bridge that obstructs your sizeable mast!

Then we circumnavigate by canoe, and then it is an island again.

But seriously... granted there are a few other parts of the world with extreme tidal ranges, but isn't it a feature of the west coast of Europe that there are many lumps and bumps of coast that are only fully-surrounded by water at high tide. This was remarked on as a peculiar and special feature by Greek explorers (before the Romans got here). When they went home, the very idea seemed so daft they were called liars by other Greek geographers!

See The Extraordinary Journey of Pytheas The Greek, by Sir Barry Cunliffe

 

[aquaplane]

It's an interesting point for debate. Hamish Haswell-Smith (The Scottish Islands) takes the view that to be a true island there must be no means (other than using aircraft) of reaching it dry shod at any state of tide. Thus structures like causeways, bridges and tunnels negate island status. Following this rule Scalpay, Skye, and the British mainland can no longer be considered islands. I personally take the more pragmatic view that if I can sail a boat with a fixed keel and a sizeable mast all the way round somewhere at any state of tide then that somewhere is in practical terms an island.

How sizeable is this mast? I wouldn't want to take my boat under "the bridge over the Atlantic" but I would consider Seil more of an island than Lindisfarne.

 

[guernseyman]

The French have a great description like "Presqu'ile de Quiberon" .... almost island.

Much better description than we have in English.

As someone pointed out above in English you have the word "Peninsula" .... almost island.

 

[macd]

A tombolo is an island connected to the mainland by an isthmus.

Well done, that man. You learn something new every day.

As to peninsula being precisely what the OP was looking for: sadly, not. Yes, the word's Latin roots mean 'almost an island', and certainly it includes the extreme case we're talking about but does not describe it accurately. A peninsula is any body of land surrounded by water on three sides...viz Arabian Peninsula, Cotentin (Cherbourg) Peninsula, Lleyn Peninsula etc, which are conspicuously not necked.

Baggywrinkle: you should get out less. Or stay in and read more

 

[Amulet]

A tombolo is an island connected to the mainland by an isthmus.

Chambers Dictionary says "tombolo" is "a bar of sand or gravel connecting an island with another or the mainland."

Wikipedia likes this definition too:

"A tombolo, from the Italian tombolo, derived from the Latin tumulus, meaning 'mound,' and sometimes translated as ayre (Old Norse eyrr, meaning 'gravel beach'), is a deposition landform in which an island is attached to the mainland by a narrow piece of land such as a spit or bar. Once attached, the island is then known as a tied island. Several islands tied together by bars which rise above the water level are called a tombolo cluster.[1] Two or more tombolos may form an enclosure (called a lagoon) that can eventually fill with sediment. Tombolos may be considered a type of isthmus."

Tied island seems their preferred term.

 

[michael_w]

Tombolo

As usual, Wikipedia has the answer http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tombolo

 

[DaveS]

How sizeable is this mast? I wouldn't want to take my boat under "the bridge over the Atlantic" but I would consider Seil more of an island than Lindisfarne.

And that is precisely why it is a good debating point (preferably accompanied with a dram)!

Although is is possible to get under Clachan Bridge with a small mast, even a dinghy cannot get through Clachan Sound at LWS when it would also be possible to cross to Seil dry shod. So Seil, like Erraid and Lindisfarne, is a tidal island, and not a "true" island regardless of the bridge. If there was a clear channel at all states of tide it would be a much trickier case. At the other end of the scale, while most of us have masts that can easily get under the Skye Bridge's 29m clearance, a tall ship or even a very big yacht might have problems. I suspect that it was to remove this ambiguity that H H-S adopted his strict "no bridge" rule.

 

[Aja]

You could consider 'Oronsay' sometimes spelt 'Oransay' which is considered to be a tidal island in gaelic of which there are a number on the west coast.

Donald

 

[oldharry]

Ah the English Language, it is so clear - not.

My Geography teacher at school used to tell us that an island is completely surrounded by water and is an island even when its not. If its connected to the mainland it is a peninsular, even when its an island. And even when its not an island or a peninusalar it might be!

The strict definition of an island is that the MHWS line surrounds it. But there are many islands that would need a huge tide to qualify, such as Purbeck and Portland.

Peninsular are never Islands. although they can be. But many islands are peninisulars. Some peninsulars are not peninsulars either.

So really its not worth trying to sort it out. Just take a look at the map and see what it calls itself..

After all we live on an island, so whether you are on an island or a pensinsular, or just standing on the beach enjoying the sun, you are still on an island anyway, so it doesnt really matter does it?

I love the precision of our language!

 

[macd]

Don't tell anyone in The Lounge about this thread or there'll be hell to pay. According to Hamish Haswell-Smith's definition (post #10) Great Britain is not an island but some sort of semi-detached peninsula of Europe.
Maggie would be rolling in her grave (except that she made it that way)

 

[Romeo]

How sizeable is this mast? I wouldn't want to take my boat under "the bridge over the Atlantic" but I would consider Seil more of an island than Lindisfarne.

You will be glad to know that I have sailed right round the Isle of Seil with mast stepped, to prove that it is indeed an Island. Other craft can manage it too:

Athough at LWS you can ford the gap, I doubt you could do it without getting your shoes a bit wet. Island.

 

[Romeo]

What about the Black Isle, and Isle of Whithorn? Nothing Islandy about either of them.

 

[alan_d]

I love the precision of our language!

In that case you won't mind me pointing out that peninsular is the adjective. The noun is peninsula.

 

[oldharry]

In that case you won't mind me pointing out that peninsular is the adjective. The noun is peninsula.

Its been a loooong day...

 

[blueglass]

don't even start on the Isle of Dogs. hasn't even got any dogs

 

[LittleSister]

Great Britain is not an island but some sort of semi-detached peninsula of Europe.

And Europe is some sort of attached peninsula of Asia?

 

[DaveS]

Don't tell anyone in The Lounge about this thread or there'll be hell to pay. According to Hamish Haswell-Smith's definition (post #10) Great Britain is not an island but some sort of semi-detached peninsula of Europe.
Maggie would be rolling in her grave (except that she made it that way)

I think you mean post #18, but I entirely take the point about the rabid Little Englander Lounge dwellers.

 

[DaveS]

And Europe is some sort of attached peninsula of Asia?

Well, Europe certainly isn't an island by any definition. In fact it's a bit of a cheek to regard Europe as a continent in its own right: from a geographical viewpoint Eurasia makes more sense.

 

[macd]

I think you mean post #18, but I entirely take the point about the rabid Little Englander Lounge dwellers.

I do indeed, thanks. (Wasn't that the post by that helpful chap DaveS?)

 

[Evadne]

don't even start on the Isle of Dogs. hasn't even got any dogs

In Spanish that would be Islas Canarias, which is even more confusing if you're looking for it in the Thames...