An island dichotomy and the fate of the Acquire

Low tide at Lyndale Point, minding the entrance to Loch Snizort. The two islands, Eilean Mòr, and Eliean Beag, plain as day meaning ‘big island‘ and ‘little island.‘ No prizes for guessing which one’s which.

Another roaring hot day with just the merest smidgen of a breeze. Not so back in the morning of the 25th January 1935, when the Portknockie steam drifter ‘Acquire‘ rammed itself ashore on this very headland¹‘Acquire: Lyndale, Loch Snizort, Skye, Little Minch | Canmore’. 2023. Canmore.org.uk <https://canmore.org.uk/site/289926/acquire-lyndale-loch-snizort-skye-little-minch> [accessed 15 June 2023]. The whole crew of ten managed to make it to dry land in a wee boat, saving some of their gear²‘Crew’s Escape | Edinburgh Evening News | Monday 28 January 1935 | British Newspaper Archive’. 2023. Britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk <https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000452/19350128/054/0002> [accessed 15 June 2023]. The Acquire later met its fate, swallowed by the sea. After that ordeal, the crew didn’t shy away from expressing their deep sense of gratitude to folks like Mrs MacCaskill, of Lyndale Farm, who kindly took them under her wing when they needed it most³‘A Shimvrecked Crew ’ S Gratitude | the Scotsman | Thursday 31 January 1935 | British Newspaper Archive’. 2023. Britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk <https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000540/19350131/061/0011> [accessed 15 June 2023].

Lyndale has its roots in Norse, an alternative name was once ‘Lianadal‘, which sounds much more melodious like something out of Tolkien⁴‘Skye, Lyndale House | Canmore’. 2023. Canmore.org.uk <https://canmore.org.uk/site/99341> [accessed 15 June 2023].

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  ‘Acquire: Lyndale, Loch Snizort, Skye, Little Minch | Canmore’. 2023. Canmore.org.uk <https://canmore.org.uk/site/289926/acquire-lyndale-loch-snizort-skye-little-minch> [accessed 15 June 2023]
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  ‘Crew’s Escape | Edinburgh Evening News | Monday 28 January 1935 | British Newspaper Archive’. 2023. Britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk <https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000452/19350128/054/0002> [accessed 15 June 2023]
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  ‘A Shimvrecked Crew ’ S Gratitude | the Scotsman | Thursday 31 January 1935 | British Newspaper Archive’. 2023. Britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk <https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000540/19350131/061/0011> [accessed 15 June 2023]
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  ‘Skye, Lyndale House | Canmore’. 2023. Canmore.org.uk <https://canmore.org.uk/site/99341> [accessed 15 June 2023]