# Flotsam and Jetsam.



## Peter Fielding (Jul 20, 2005)

According to my evening paper, it was this day (March 12th.) in 1941 that S.S. Politician went aground in the Hebrides with a cargo of whisky, giving rise to Compton Mackenzie's book "Whisky Galore". It's reckoned that the locals hid 250,000 bottles from the Customs officers. Beats the hell out of the load of timber that went adrift in the Channel a few weeks ago!


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## Derek Roger (Feb 19, 2005)

Could one of our members please define Flotsam and Jetsom ??

My understanding is that Flotsam was what was left floating after a sinking . Jetsom was that which had been dicarded overboard by a vessel . 

Regards Derek


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## Geoff_E (Nov 24, 2006)

Pretty much got it in a nutshell Derek.


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## MARINEJOCKY (Nov 25, 2007)

I was married to a girl who's family came from North Uist and when we went for a visit I was told that there was little whisky on board but the locals went after all of the dunnage which was being returned to the States. There are no trees on the outer islands but plenty of home made whisky so I could well believe that story but it is the islands and I was told the story in the bar at the South Uist ferry port.


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## trotterdotpom (Apr 29, 2005)

According to the dictionary, Jetsam is thrown overboard in order to lighten ship in a distress situation - I always thought it was just floating rubbish. There is another one, little heard of - "lagan". This is cargo which is thrown overboard and has its position marked with a buoy or somesuch thing. Plenty of this sort of activity round the Florida Keys, I hear.

John T.


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## Tony D (May 2, 2004)

Watched a do***entary a while back about the real event rather than the rather touchy feely book and movie,the Islander were actually treated with some brutality by the authorities who acted in a very ruthless manner determined to make a example of them,bottles still occasionally turn up and apparently go for thousands snapped up collectors.


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## voyagerx1 (Jan 21, 2009)

*Flotsam and Jetsome*



Peter Fielding said:


> According to my evening paper, it was this day (March 12th.) in 1941 that S.S. Politician went aground in the Hebrides with a cargo of whisky, giving rise to Compton Mackenzie's book "Whisky Galore". It's reckoned that the locals hid 250,000 bottles from the Customs officers. Beats the hell out of the load of timber that went adrift in the Channel a few weeks ago!


LOL Pete depends whether you're looking to get alcohol poisoning or build a shed  *hic*


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## Derek Roger (Feb 19, 2005)

MARINEJOCKY said:


> I was married to a girl who's family came from North Uist and when we went for a visit I was told that there was little whisky on board but the locals went after all of the dunnage which was being returned to the States. There are no trees on the outer islands but plenty of home made whisky so I could well believe that story but it is the islands and I was told the story in the bar at the South Uist ferry port.


Dunnage is what ?? 

I always understood it to be wood / timber that was used in securing cargo
and was discarded after a cargo was discharged ; either by leaving at the port or later being jettisoned at sea ?

Derek


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## John Rogers (May 11, 2004)

Some of the dunnage that was used was the very best mahogany from the Philippines and was sought after by many a person for a wood carving hobby.

John.


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## MARINEJOCKY (Nov 25, 2007)

Again it was hearsay from the islanders but there was only a few cases of Chivas Regal onboard that was meant for the USA President. 

In normal cir***stances the dunnage would be left at the discharge port as the ship would have another cargo but those ships travelled back empty or relatively so and they took the wood back to be used again. 

When I lived in Tarbert some English salvage company went after the wreck and found some bottles which turned out to be wine. There was a big fanfare but when it was opened it was not good.


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## Tony D (May 2, 2004)

Hardly just a few, 28,000 cases
Here is a link to the event.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Politician


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## MARINEJOCKY (Nov 25, 2007)

Like I said, I was told the story in a bar in South Uist which was probably ground zero or close to it for the bringing ashore of those few bottles. 28,000 cases and they made a big fuss (*)). Interesting reading and not a mention of dunnage but I can sure you that the ex-wifes family had stuff made from the wood.


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## Hamish Mackintosh (Jan 5, 2006)

Are you sure you have the right ship?I was on a Coaster the "Holdernidd"running animal feed from Hull to Belfast in the very early fifties, going north about, and while going thru the sound of Islay there was one of Ellermans of Hull ,hard aground(and I mean right up on the beach)green hull and all , the mate at the time told me that that was the ship running a cargo of Scotch to New York, had run into trouble(?) and was beached intentionally, and she was the ship that the film Whisky Galore had been made after,and she was so far up the beach I don't think there would have been much flotsam or jetsomearound.


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## Superlecky (Apr 15, 2006)

Referring to the posts about Flotsam & Jetsam earlier I hope this might be of interest.

In the case of jetsam, correctly said to be cargo thrown overboard to prevent the loss of the vessel, there is a further complication known as General or Particular Average.

General Average is when all the shippers with cargo on board bear the cost of the jetsam in proportion to the relative value of their respective cargo.

Particular Average is when the cost of the jetsam is born by just one of the shippers, normally the one whose cargo was jettisoned.


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