vanishing island

{{Short description|Island submersed at high tide}}

{{distinguish|Former island|Phantom island}}

File:Vanishing island diagram.svg

Vanishing island refers to any permanent island which is exposed at low tide but is submersed at high tide. Vanishing islands occur globally. There are vanishing islands in the Philippines and several in the San Juan Islands.{{Cite web|last=Reyes|first=Celine|date=2017-09-01|title=VANISHING ISLAND, ALBAY: IMPORTANT TRAVEL TIPS|url=https://www.philippinebeaches.org/vanishing-island-albay-important-tips/|access-date=2020-11-26|website=Philippine Beach Guide|language=en-US}}

In early times, seamen were confused by this phenomenon and invented explanations for it, usually involving a massive sea monster that would let a crew land on its back before submersing itself, drowning the crew. Notable examples of these include the aspidochelone, Fastitocalon, Jasconius, Lyngbakr, Hafgufa, and various accounts of the kraken. {{Cite book|last=Genlis|first=Stéphanie Félicité comtesse de|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sl80AAAAMAAJ&dq=kraken&pg=PA292|title=Tales of the Castle: Or, Stories of Instruction and Delight|date=1785|publisher=G. G. J. and J. Robinson|language=en}}

The phrase is sometimes incorrectly used to refer to Islands which may be permanently lost due to climate change.{{Cite web |title=Vanishing Islands {{!}} Smithsonian Ocean |url=https://ocean.si.edu/conservation/climate-change/vanishing-islands |access-date=2023-05-01 |website=ocean.si.edu |language=en}}