You’re in for a big surprise. Our guest author, David Kightley, swops screen obsession for the more relaxing scrunch of pebbles underfoot and gentle swoosh of waves at the water’s edge of a shimmering Cornish beach in search of rare pieces of Lego!
The impact of plastic pollution on our beaches is in the news every so often, but few stories serve as a stranger example of the impact of nature itself on our West Country beaches than the tale of the lost Lego container. In February 1997, the German-built cargo ship Tokio Express set sail from Rotterdam to New York City when it encountered mountainous seas about 20 miles (32km) off Land’s End. A rogue wave tipped the ship 60 degrees one way and 40 degrees the other, resulting in 62 shipping containers being dumped into the ocean. The ship put in at Southampton for attention after the accident and was eventually scrapped in 2000.
Worst toy-related environmental disaster of all time?
One of the containers was full of almost five million brand new pieces of Lego on their way to be made into sets in North America. The strange thing was that many of the 4,756,940 pieces were for seafaring adventure sets including Lego Pirates and Lego Aquazone. How the container opened nobody knows, but it released a ‘slick of Lego’ onto Cornish beaches. Beachcombers in the southwest of England soon began finding plastic octopuses, spear guns, scuba tanks, cutlasses, flippers and even dragons on their shores and they’re still washing up today! There were 33,427 black dragons and 4,200 octopuses, but the rare and highly-coveted green dragons are a real find; there were only 514 of those!
Over the years, ocean currents have swept the Lego vast distances. It’s been found in the Channel Islands, France, Belgium and the Netherlands. Some oceanographers believe it could have drifted all the way round the world. Most of the Lego from the spill has never been found, however, and is thought to be lying on the seabed. Fishermen regularly haul up Lego 20 miles off the Cornish coast. They find the bits that sank, while beachcombers generally find the bits that floated. Some of the Lego that originally sank is now making its way ashore, swept long distances by seafloor currents.
Beachcombers guide to Lego sunken treasure in Cornwall
These days, the best time to search for the Lego is after high spring tides and strong onshore winds. Much of the Lego may still trapped in sand dunes and between rocks and in stormy weather when everything is churned up, Lego buried for decades or lodged in crevices is released. The best beaches are rumoured to be Marazion Beach in Mount’s Bay near Penzance and Sennen Beach just round the northerly corner of Land’s End. Awash with Lego might indeed be a grammatical exaggeration, a relaxing pastime for sure, but one that could endure for centuries to come!
NYC at Studio 3 Chelmsford UK!
You dear reader may well ask, and not for the first time, where is all this taking us? Well, the Tokio Express may not have made it to New York City but our eponymous owner Dan Summers did and he loved it! So much so that DSD’s Chelmsford studio is home to his memory-evoking Lego-builds including the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty; standing tall alongside an eclectic collection of fascinating retro-design artefacts.
All there for your enjoyment while in the process of discussing a new brief or reviewing project work. Visitors are invited to book an appointment to enjoy this truly inspiring space. Our studio surroundings provide a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere for serious fun and great creative ideas! To start your journey, all you have to do is give Dan a call on 01245 890238. Early booking recommended!
Acknowledgements:
The Radio Times/BBC Radio 4
Adrift – the curious tale of the Lego lost at sea by Tracey Williams (Unicorn)Marine Conservation Society
Good read David, really interesting.
Thanks Rayna, glad you enjoyed it as much as I did writing it 🙂