Tidal island

St Michael's Mount, Cornwall at high tide in 1900.

"Tide island" redirects here. It is not to be confused with Tied island.

A tidal island is a piece of land that is connected to the mainland by a natural or man-made causeway that is exposed at low tide and submerged at high tide. Because of the mystique surrounding tidal islands many of them have been sites of religious worship, such as Mont Saint Michel with its Benedictine Abbey. Tidal islands are also commonly the sites of fortresses because of their natural fortifications.

The former Bennelong Island in Sydney, Australia was developed into Bennelong Point and is now the location of the Sydney Opera House.

There are 43 tidal islands that can be walked to from the mainland of England, Scotland & Wales. These are described in detail by Peter Caton, in his book No Boat Required. Caton was the first person to visit all 43 of these tidal islands.

List of tidal islands

Asia

Hong Kong

• Ma Shi Chau in Tai Po District, northeastern New Territories, within the Tolo Harbour

South Korea

• Jindo Island and Modo Island in southwest South Korea

Europe

France

Mont Saint Michel in Normandy

• Mont Saint Michel in Normandy
• Tombelaine in Normandy
• Île de Noirmoutier in Vendée

Germany/Denmark

• The Halligen in the North Frisian Islands, Germany/Denmark

Denmark

• Mandø Island - on Denmark's western coast

Ireland

• Omey Island in Connemara, County Galway, Connacht
• Coney Island near Rosses Point, County Sligo

United Kingdom

Rough Island opposite Rockcliffe, Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland

Worm's Head at the end of Gower, Wales

• Baleshare in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland
• Brough of Birsay in Orkney, Scotland
• Burgh Island in Devon, England
• Chapel Island in Cumbria, England
• Cramond Island, Edinburgh, Scotland
• Davaar Island near Campbeltown, on the Kintyre peninsula, Scotland
• Erraid off the Isle of Mull in Scotland
• Gugh in the Isles of Scilly, Great Britain
• Hilbre Island in the River Dee estuary, between North Wales and the English Wirral
• Llanddwyn Island off Anglesey in North Wales
• Lindisfarne in Northumberland, England
• Northey Island in Essex, England
• Oronsay in the Inner Hebrides, Scotland
• Osea Island in Essex, England
• Rough Island opposite Rockcliffe, Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland
• Sheep Island in Cumbria, England
• Shell Island in North Wales, Wales
• St Catherine's Island in Pembrokeshire, Wales
• St Michael's Mount in Cornwall, Great Britain
• St Mary's Island in North Tyneside, England
• Sully Island in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales
• Worm's Head at the end of Gower, Wales

43 tidal islands can be walked to from the UK mainland.^{[citation needed]}

Channel Islands

• Lihou in Guernsey, one of the Channel Islands

North America

Canada

• Minister's Island in New Brunswick, Canada
• Micou's Island in St. Margarets Bay, Nova Scotia, Canada

United States

Bar Island in Maine

• Bar Island in Maine, U.S.A.
• High Island, New York
• Long Point Island, Harpswell, Maine, U.S.A.
• Cana Island Lighthouse in Wisconsin, U.S.A.
• Battery Point Light in California, U.S.A.
• Camano Island in Puget Sound of Washington, U.S.A., since earth filled
• Douglas Island in Alaska, USA

Oceania

Australia

• Penguin Island (Western Australia) in the Shoalwater Islands Marine Park

New Zealand

Rangitoto Island forms a backdrop to the wave-cut platform off Achilles Point, Auckland

• Matakana Island in Tauranga Harbour
• Rabbit Island, Bells Island, Bests Island, and Pepin Island in Tasman Bay
• Puddingstone Island in Otago Harbour
• The Hauraki Gulf islands of Motutapu Island and Rangitoto Island are connected at low tide
• Opahekeheke Island in the Kaipara Harbour
• The Okatakata Islands and Walker Island in Rangaunu Harbour

See also

• Island
• Islet
• Tied island
• Vanishing island

References

No Boat Required - Exploring Tidal Islands Peter Caton September 2011 Troubador