Tuesday, July 03, 2007

Ducks Of Their Class

We Shall Flight Them On The Beaches

Want a (slightly faded) rubber duck? Just keep your eyes peeled the next time you're at the beach. A fleet of 29,000 rubber ducks will soon wash up on Cornwall beaches - after a 15-year, 17,000-mile epic journey. The bath toys were set adrift in the Pacific after a container was washed off a cargo ship in 1992. The metal container was corroded by sea water, freeing the China-manufactured yellow ducks, blue turtles, red beavers and green frogs. Their colour has since faded to white and they have been tracked across the world, with some turning up in Alaska, Siberia, Japan, Iceland and Canada. Collectors pay up to $1000 for the toys, which have The First Years stamped on them.

FOOTNOTE: Relax, it’s not the spammish Armada.

18 comments:

Merisi said...

I once found a bleached out rubber ducky among the reeds of an Austrian lake. Due to the location probably of celtic origin, Hallstatt period, I'd venture to guess. I won't make it over to Cornwall for the arrival of the fittest of them ducks, which is too bad, I'd have loved to add another precious item to my beginner's collection. :-)

Mega said...

I would swim with them!

Anonymous said...

Rubber ducky, you're the one!!! You make bathtime lots of fun!
[go Ernie and Bert]

Cute!

Hey David - can you help me plug this post and contribute? I would appreciate your witticism! Cheers!

fuzzbert_1999@yahoo.com said...

What a hoot it would be to find one of those!

B.T.Bear (esq.) said...

Ooo! Ooo! I thought this was going to be about the rubber duckies released into the wild each year on rubber duckie day- honest, there is one! I didn't dream it! I think it's a UK thing. POssibly American. No no, UK. They release lots of them and you get a prize if you find one. Or something like that. Hmmm....

:@}

B.T.Bear (esq.) said...

I didn't dream it!

Anonymous said...

I hope Wilson (the basketball starring in Castaway) finds some company at least now! I bet he's been lonely out there :)

regds
Gautham

Shrink Wrapped Scream said...

Oooh - how cool if I could only beach comb one of those!

david mcmahon said...

Hi Merisi,

Race you to Cornwall.

Cheers

David

david mcmahon said...

Hi Dan,

That would definitely increase their value.

Isn;t it amazing that they've been bobbing around for all these years!

Cheers

David

david mcmahon said...

Hi Steph,

Will certainly help plug the post. Check back here in the next day or so.

Cheers

David

david mcmahon said...

Hi Mushy,

Absolutely, especially in light of the fact that they've been riding the waves around the world for so long.

Cheers

David

david mcmahon said...

Hi BTBear,

Rubber ducky day? Sounds good to me. I know there's even an International Talk Like a Pirate Day too.

Cheers

David

david mcmahon said...

Hi Gautham,

I bet Wilson would get his bounce back if he saw the ducks!

Cheers

David

david mcmahon said...

Hi Carol,

If you find two, keep one and set the other one off again, in the direction of Melbourne!

Cheers

David

Victorya said...

BTBear - not just England, US too. It's the annual duckie race for the Special Olympics. I sponsor a duck (I think it's 25USD) each year! Good fun for a good cause.

Mrs Mac said...

Hey!

Here's a page about rubber duckies, including a race of rubber ducks down the Thames in 2006....

Enjoy!

Rubber Duck Races

Mrs Mac said...

I mean a rubber duck race.

Not a race of rubber ducks.

Thames water has not (yet) produced a new race of duck.