BS: Whisky Galore in Sidmouth?

Subject: BS: Whisky Galore in Sidmouth?
From: Bonecruncher
Date: 21 Jan 07 - 02:25 PM

Considering the ship which has gone aground off Sidmouth are we likely to see a repeat of the film Whisky Galore, where locals in the Hebrides helped themselves to the cargo of a ship gone aground locally?
Can anyone please quote the law regarding flotsam?
Colyn.

Subject: RE: BS: Whisky Galore in Sidmouth?
From: skipy
Date: 21 Jan 07 - 04:31 PM

The Receiver of Wreck - Introduction
The Receiver of Wreck is an official of the British government whose main task is to process incoming reports of wreck in order to:

Give the legitimate owner the opportunity to retrieve their property
Ensure that law-abiding finders of wreck receive an appropriate reward
This involves researching ownership, liaising with the finder and the owner, and other interested parties such as archaeologists and museums.

Under British law, he/she is also to be notified on the disposal of whale carcasses impeding shipping lanes in British waters.

Operating on behalf of the Department of Transport the Receiver of Wreck is located within the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.

Until 1993 the job was carried out by numerous coastal customs officials. Nowadays the Receiver is based in Southampton and is helped by local outposts of HM Coastguard.

The current Receiver of Wreck is Sophia Exelby (Contact her on 02380 329474 or email [e-mail])

What is wreck?
According to the Merchant Shipping Act 1995, wreck is:

Flotsam - Flotsam are goods lost from a ship which has sunk or otherwise perished which are recoverable because they have floated.
Jetsam - Jetsam are goods cast overboard in order to lighten a vessel which is in danger of sinking, even if they ultimately perish.
Derelict - Derelict is property which has been abandoned and deserted at sea by those who were in charge without any hope of recovering it. This includes vessels and cargo.
Lagan - Lagan (or ligan) are goods cast overboard from a ship, which afterwards perish, buoyed so that they can be recovered later.
The requirements of UK law
It is a legal requirement that all recovered wreck landed in the United Kingdom is reported to the Receiver of Wreck, whether recovered from within or outside UK waters and even if the finder is the owner. The Receiver of Wreck will investigate ownership. The owner has one year in which to come forward and prove title to the property. During this period it is common for the finder to hold the wreck on behalf of the Receiver of Wreck while investigations are carried out.

Wreck which remains unclaimed after a year becomes the property of the Crown and the Receiver of Wreck is required to dispose of it. Often the finder is allowed to keep items of unclaimed wreck in lieu of a salvage award.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Skipy

Subject: RE: BS: Whisky Galore in Sidmouth?
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 21 Jan 07 - 05:52 PM

Colyn

But the Napoli isn't spilling whisky - more like shampoo and chemicals.

Will MBS still be processing into the sea on 9 August..?

Kitty

(Who's just today booked her festival accommodation, with sea view!)

Subject: RE: BS: Whisky Galore in Sidmouth?
From: Bonecruncher
Date: 21 Jan 07 - 07:50 PM

Shampoo provided, bring your own towel!
See you there.
Colyn.

Subject: RE: BS: Whisky Galore in Sidmouth?
From: Bainbo
Date: 21 Jan 07 - 08:04 PM

Yeah, shampoo and chemicals and BMW bikes, apparently.
Race you there.

Subject: RE: BS: Whisky Galore in Sidmouth?
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 22 Jan 07 - 08:14 AM

Somewhere in the North Atlantic, there is a cargo of Lego bricks lying full fathom five.... imagine if they washed up - we could rebuild Brighton Piers!

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Whisky Galore in Sidmouth?
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 22 Jan 07 - 08:42 AM

Hope the sulphuric acid does not leak into the sea or those taking stuff from the beach might lose their hands...........I believe people taking things in some countries in the middle East lose their hands.........if caught.

Subject: RE: BS: Whisky Galore in Sidmouth?
From: Scrump
Date: 22 Jan 07 - 08:54 AM

I reckon it was the work of wreckers, who placed a light on the cliffs at Sidmouth to run the ship aground, in the hope of getting their hands on one of those BMW motorbikes rumoured to be on board.

"Give us a wreck or two, good Lord
For winter along this coast is hard:
The grey frost leaves but nowt alive
No bike in the garage, no car in the drive.
One rich wreck is all we pray,
Busted abroad at break of day,
Broken and splintered upon the reef
With cars and bikes to calm our grief!
Lord of rock and tide and sky,
Heed our call, hark to our cry!
Wine by the case, beer by the cask -
A new BMW is all we ask."

Ahaaaaaaaaarrrrrrhhhh!

Subject: RE: BS: Whisky Galore in Sidmouth?
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 22 Jan 07 - 11:47 AM

A BMW after all that salty water? The indicators won't be the ONLY thing that doesn't work!

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Whisky Galore in Sidmouth?
From: bubblyrat
Date: 22 Jan 07 - 12:01 PM

There are reputed to be ENORMOUS cellars underneath The Bedford.

Subject: RE: BS: Whisky Galore in Sidmouth?
From: Captain Ginger
Date: 22 Jan 07 - 12:11 PM

Hmm, ...A Beamer for the parson,
Vosene for the clerk...
doesn't really have the same ring to it.

Subject: RE: BS: Whisky Galore in Sidmouth?
From: bubblyrat
Date: 22 Jan 07 - 12:47 PM

No, but what about B M W ? Best Malt Whisky ??

Subject: RE: BS: Whisky Galore in Sidmouth?
From: GUEST
Date: 22 Jan 07 - 01:55 PM

There are reputed to be ENORMOUS cellars underneath The Bedford.

We need them for our ENORMOUS thirst during folk week!!!

Subject: RE: BS: Whisky Galore in Sidmouth?
From: Declan
Date: 22 Jan 07 - 02:04 PM

I hope the local wildlife are not affected. I'm looking forward to reacquainting myself with Otters and badgers and exmoor foxes next August. A lot of the Otters reside in those enormous cellars.

Subject: RE: BS: Whisky Galore in Sidmouth?
From: Bernard
Date: 22 Jan 07 - 02:31 PM

They reckon 'only' three contaminated birds have been found... nothing about the ones they haven't found, of course!! ;o)

Subject: RE: BS: Whisky Galore in Sidmouth?
From: GUEST,Keit A o Hertford
Date: 23 Jan 07 - 04:42 AM

The police have closed the beach today.
Spoilsports.

Subject: RE: BS: Whisky Galore in Sidmouth?
From: Wyrd Sister
Date: 23 Jan 07 - 07:24 AM

Not spoilsports - apparently opening containers and spreading stuff around is making the clear-up more difficult as stuff gets washed out to sea. We're not talking people picking up a few bits of flotsam. And I feel for the couple who saw the contents of their home being rifled through (they were emigrating)

Subject: RE: BS: Whisky Galore in Sidmouth?
From: manitas_at_work
Date: 23 Jan 07 - 07:55 AM

I tried creating a link but it wouldn't work. Go to ebay.co.uk and search on "Napoli bargains hot from Branscombe Beach"

Subject: RE: BS: Whisky Galore in Sidmouth?
From: Ella who is Sooze
Date: 23 Jan 07 - 08:47 AM

I heard the radio reporting on a person from Sweden or somewhere, who was exporting their furniture to South Africa (I think). It was their parents furniture, irriplacible for sentimental reasons and they were intending to furnish their family home there with the furniture and paintings in the containers.

They were watching the news about the tanker and noticed during the film of the looters on the beach, their furniture and paintings etc being taken from one of the containers. They are gutted, there's nothing they can do, their memories gone.

It was another side to the story, that stuff DOES belong to someone, I think it should be reunited with the owners as much as is possible. It's a shame - but is probably and unfortunately, human nature this is happening.

As for the environmental issues, they seem to be not being talked about in as big a way as the looting issues. What about the impact it's having on the environment - I think they are playing it down.

EWIS

Subject: RE: BS: Whisky Galore in Sidmouth?
From: Keith A of Hertford
Date: 23 Jan 07 - 08:50 AM

There is a boom around the ship the retain leaked oil, and all remaining oil is to be pumped out.

Subject: RE: BS: Whisky Galore in Sidmouth?
From: Captain Ginger
Date: 23 Jan 07 - 08:58 AM

Without sounding too sanctimonious, what is happening is theft and vandalism on a huge scale, and the behaviour of those people on the beach is actually disgraceful.
I do hope that the perpetrators get prosecuted.
What would the feeling be if there was a car crash, and the same parasites started rooting through the boot and helping themselves? They pretend it's a 'victimless crime' by assuming that insurance will pay for it all, but I'm afraid that's a poor excuse for behaving like vultures.

Subject: RE: BS: Whisky Galore in Sidmouth?
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Jan 07 - 10:21 AM

Police crack down on scavengers (BBC news report)

Subject: RE: BS: Whisky Galore in Sidmouth?
From: vectis
Date: 23 Jan 07 - 03:45 PM

I used to live in a part of the UK that experienced regular wrecks which were always stripped bare before 'the revenue' could arrive. It was often considered due payment for help received, especially if the crew had been pulled off by Breeches Buoy.
The mindset that wrecks are fair game is not going to go away for some time to come especially as it seems to be a greyish area as far as the law is concerned. Those that do 'liberate' stuff or 'help clear the beach' are supposed to fill in a form and declare anything taken so they can claim salvage on it. This fails to discourage the initial taking doesn't it? If I lived there I suspect I would be on the beach with the rest.
I always go and collect wood off the beach after storms same as a local artist and cabinet maker does. No-one has ever tried to tell us not to, prevent us combing it or told us we are stealing it. It's a small step from beachcombing wood, flotsum and jetsum to stripping a wreck.

Subject: RE: BS: Whisky Galore in Sidmouth?
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 23 Jan 07 - 03:51 PM

I've just posted to the thread above the line, but this isn't sport -it's greedy people damaging a World Heritage Site and causing the damage to spread further.

Kitty

Subject: RE: BS: Whisky Galore in Sidmouth?
From: GUEST,BlackBeard
Date: 23 Jan 07 - 05:39 PM

Agreed

It didn't take the worms long to crawl out of the woodwork, did it?

Yo ho ho and a BMW

Subject: RE: BS: Whisky Galore in Sidmouth?
From: skipy
Date: 23 Jan 07 - 05:47 PM

It now appears that Ebay (quite rightly)has taken off all the "stolen" items, however you can buy a photo of the event with the profits going to clean up the birds taken in by the RSPB, go for it, please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Skipy

Subject: RE: BS: Whisky Galore in Sidmouth?
From: Big Phil
Date: 23 Jan 07 - 07:12 PM

Fair play to the good people who are filling their boots. Wish I were 250 miles closer, I would be on the beach with them.
Ordinary people getting a few perks, berated at every oportunity. Upper classes bending the law to suit themselves, general thieving Bastards, nothing said. Double standards I reckon..

Subject: RE: BS: Whisky Galore in Sidmouth?
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 23 Jan 07 - 07:29 PM

Good to see you've grasped the concept of irony, Big Phil.

Kitty

Subject: RE: BS: Whisky Galore in Sidmouth?
From: GUEST, Topsie
Date: 24 Jan 07 - 04:55 AM

Picking up stuff that is washed up and scattered and would be destroyed by the tide (including barrels of liquor) would seem to be traditional, but breaking open otherwise undamaged containers is looting.

Subject: RE: BS: Whisky Galore in Sidmouth?
From: GUEST,Mummy in the wash
Date: 24 Jan 07 - 05:17 AM

How I would love to get my hands on all of those lovely nappies, I would gladly delight in joining the limey nappy knockers.

Subject: RE: BS: Whisky Galore in Sidmouth?
From: Metchosin
Date: 24 Jan 07 - 11:32 AM

Thanks bonecruncher. Whisky Galore! I tried to find that film a number of years ago without success. In Canada, when I saw it when young, I believe it was called Tight Little Island. It was a hoot. I was always put in mind of the film when listening to Stan Rogers' The Lovely Athens Queen. Maybe I'll have some luck now that I know it by another name.

Subject: RE: BS: Whisky Galore in Sidmouth?
From: Metchosin
Date: 24 Jan 07 - 11:43 AM

The Wreck of the Athens Queen - Stan Rogers

We were drinking down to Reedy's house
When first we heard the blow
It seemed to come from Ripper Rock
So boldly forth we go
And, sure enough, a rusty tub
Could just be barely seen
As her stern was high up in the air
We made out "Athens Queen"
Oh, the lovely Athens Queen

Me boys, I must remind you,
There's a bottle left inside
So let us go and have a few
And wait until low tide
And if the sea's not claimed her
When the glasses are licked clean
We will then set forth some dories, lads,
And see what may be seen
On the lovely Athens Queen

Some songs and old tall stories then
Came out to pass the time
Nor could a single bottle
Keep us all until low tide
And so it was before we left
The house we were at sea
So I scarcely can remember
How we made the Athens Queen
Oh, the lovely Athens Queen

Oh the waves inside me belly
Were as high as those outside
And though I'm never seasick,
I lost dinner overside
T'was well there was no crew to save
For we'd have scared 'em green
We could scarcely keep ourselves
From falling off the Athens Queen
Oh, the lovely Athens Queen

Well, Reedy goes straight down below
And comes up with a cow
"Hello", I said, "now what would you
Be wantin' with that now?"
"You'll never take a cow home
In a dory on such seas!"
"Well me son, he says I've always fancied
Fresh cream in me tea
'Fore the lovely Athens Queen."

I headed for the galley, then,
As I was rather dry
And glad I was to get there quick
For what should I espy?
Oh what a shame it would have been
For to lose it all at sea
Forty cases of the best Napoleon
Brandy ever seen
On the lovely Athens Queen

I loaded twenty cases, boys,
Then headed for the shore
Unloaded them as quick as that
And then pulled back for more
Smith was pulling for the shore
But he could scarce be seen
Under near two hundred chickens
And a leather couch of green
From the lovely Athens Queen

Well, here's to all good salvagers
Likewise to Ripper Rock
And to Napoleon brandy of which
Now we have much stock
We eat a lot of chicken
And sit on a couch of green
And we wait for Ripper Rock
To claim another Athens Queen
Oh, the lovely Athens Queen

Obviously there might be different perspectives regarding the that couch and a few other things.