Isle of Purbeck

Santa Cruz Island

We have made several visits, though not in recent years, to this island off the coast of Southern California. It is the home of a breed of small foxes. Many years ago, I fell ill during a visit, and was flown back to the mainland by a Medi-Vac plane. There are some delightful walks, and places to eat and stay overnight.

Santa Catalina

I think I have reported on all of the island's around England, where I was born. Now I turn to some of the islands of North America. Santa Catalina is a small resort island of about 75 square miles off the coast of Southern California.

Sheppey

Although technically an island, Sheppey only has an area of 36 square miles. It is a small residential island off the coast of Kent, in the Thames Estuary.

Thanet

This does not seem to be an island, but there is a small amount of water between Thanet and the rest of Kent.

Lindisfarne

Lindisfarne is a small island of the northeast coast of England. It is also known as "Holy Isle," and is the site of one of the oldest monasteries in the Christian world, dating from AD 634.

Isle of Wight

This large island is in the Solent South of Portsmouth. It is a popular place for summer holidays, and contains Osbourne, a former royal residence, later the location of a Royal Naval College, to which cadets were formally sent.