Monday, July 02, 2007
Ducks
By far the most attractive item in this morning's media is this one about a wave of plastic ducks heading for the Welsh coastline.
The Western Mail reports that tens of thousands of the bath toys have bobbed across the globe since three containers full of them were washed off a ship during a storm in the middle of the Pacific in January 1992. The ducks have already landed in Indonesia, Australia and South America, and now an expert is predicting they could now reach the Welsh coastline, 17,000 miles from where they plunged overboard.
Apparently, two children’s books have already been written about their saga, during which they have become collectors’ items fetching up to £500 despite being bleached white by sunlight and sea water. The toy company that made them has even offered a reward for their return so any seaside paddler who finds one can claim a £50 reward from First Years Inc.
I wonder if they count as salvage under the terms of the various Maritime Acts of Parliament.
The Western Mail reports that tens of thousands of the bath toys have bobbed across the globe since three containers full of them were washed off a ship during a storm in the middle of the Pacific in January 1992. The ducks have already landed in Indonesia, Australia and South America, and now an expert is predicting they could now reach the Welsh coastline, 17,000 miles from where they plunged overboard.
Apparently, two children’s books have already been written about their saga, during which they have become collectors’ items fetching up to £500 despite being bleached white by sunlight and sea water. The toy company that made them has even offered a reward for their return so any seaside paddler who finds one can claim a £50 reward from First Years Inc.
I wonder if they count as salvage under the terms of the various Maritime Acts of Parliament.
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The background is at http://beachcombersalert.org/RubberDuckies.html
There are links to pages describing other spills.
A US oceanographer used to pay for recovered ducks out of his own pocket (or research funds?) but it now looks as if First Years Inc is picking up the bill.
- Frank Little
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There are links to pages describing other spills.
A US oceanographer used to pay for recovered ducks out of his own pocket (or research funds?) but it now looks as if First Years Inc is picking up the bill.
- Frank Little
<< Home
