A legendary figure of nautical lore, Davy Jones was noted to be a Devil-like figure to sailors, associated with his locker, a symbolic name for the bottom of the sea. Not knowing whether the character was based on a real or legendary sailor, Pirate or seafaring figure most have theorized he is a “folk Devil” found in almost all folklore.
Now there are up to 10,000 shipping containers lost at sea every year. Although it may seem extreme, this is actually a small percentage of approximately 50 million containers sent by sea annually. They sink quietly out of sight but are becoming ever more present to the shipping industry and, no doubt, Davy Jones.
There are numerous factors involved when determining the fate of those lost. Some, which continue to stay afloat, become safety hazards while the majority of them sink quickly due to leakage and their buoyancy. It is somewhat likened to child’s play, with Doritos tortilla chips scattered about as they were on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, USA, November 30th, 2006 when thousands of bags washed up on the beach, along with the partially open cargo container in which they were packed. Should they not like corn chips, how about chocolate chips? In February of 2008, thousands of packages of McVitie’s chocolate biscuits washed up on the beach at Blackpool, UK, after the Cargo Ship Riverdance had a bit of a misfortune when gale-force winds forced the ship to run aground.
It was almost 20 years after it sunk to Davy Jones’ locker, that a cargo container of almost five million Lego pieces – many, surprisingly, with a nautical theme – is still sharing its contents. The tiny plastic pieces are washing ashore on Cornwall’s coast beaches, to the delight of children on holiday fantasizing they came from far, far away.