Mysterious Beach Trash

[wsmurdoch]

When we walk down the beach together, my wife looks for pretty shells and sea beans, and I inspect the trash. Mostly, I find shoes, commercial fishing gear, and plastic and glass packaging waste. Occasionally, there is an interesting piece of a boat or plane. Over the years we have found a full 20 lb fiberglass propane cylinder, a glass bottomed sea kayak (in near perfect condition), and a piece of unexploded French ordnance.

Almost everything I find I recognize, but three things that are common leave me puzzled. Does anyone know what these are:

[Prairie Chicken]

No idea on 2 or 3, but 1 looks the right size for a face cream/mosturizer/potion pot of some sort.

[HopCar]

The second item is a 15 minute smoke buoy.
Manoverboard Mk8 | Code 53775 |

[Liunatic]

I don't know what any of the items are, but I am wondering if maybe there is some type of military base in the area? Maybe this is debris from training exercises?

[wsmurdoch]

Originally Posted by HopCar

The second item is a 15 minute smoke buoy.
Manoverboard Mk8 | Code 53775 |

That looks to be it. I have found dozens, but none with the yellow plastic shroud intact. They are heavy things, 8 or 10 lb, and about 18" tall.

Thanks.

[gamayun]

If these have been common items on your strolls, suggest you take a look at this report under the link for "weird trash." I admit I have not opened it so not sure if there are pictures but there certainly ought to be if there aren't!

Ocean Conservancy: 2015 Trash Free Seas Report: By the Numbers

[wsmurdoch]

I should have put something in the photos to indicate the size of the items.

The aluminum funnel like things set in urethane foam are 8" or so in diameter. I wonder if they are either some sort of microwave antenna or perhaps a rain gauge.

The black polyethylene things are 12" or so tall. My guess is that they are some sort of fishing gear. The two small holes near the large opening are made by cutting off two nipples with a knife. Sometimes there is degraded poly rope tied through them. They are extremely common.

The photos were taken on the Exuma Sound side of Shroud Cay in the Bahamas, but I have found all these things from the Jumentos to the NC coast.

This is a broken shipping container we found a couple of years ago. Maybe our "biggest" find.


The saddest thing I commonly find is a dead bird with its rotting corpse filled with small bits of plastic.

[DavidLGCrawford]

It's the remains of R2-D2's second cousin, twice removed (on his mother's side).

[Snowpetrel]

Originally Posted by HopCar

The second item is a 15 minute smoke buoy.
Manoverboard Mk8 | Code 53775 |

Might be the one I lost off a ship 20 years ago! I felt like a right twit when I told the captain... Doing my safety checks, and the bridge wing lifebouy was a bit stiff in its rack. I successfully freed it up.. splash! Doh

[barnakiel]

These are inhuman parts. You can tell this from extensive use of plastic. Pretty common thing with today's humans ...

b.

[Matt Johnson]

The windward side of the Bahamas were the worst for this of any place we have been. Seems the current is right for the sea to depart with all kinds of "treasures". Surprisingly, the most common identifiable item was a pocket comb.... I didn't know anyone still carried those!

[Gadagirl]

I've always been amazed what washes ashore on the north side af Anegada. Light tubes and light bulbs unbroken. Floated and skipped over waves and reef intact. Shoes, medical supplies, 4-5' bossan lines, every plastic thing imaginable....baby dolls, shoes, hard hats, shampoo bottles, trap nets, ...............

[Cormorant]

You could try running the pics through this:

http://www.bustle.com/articles/16000...nd-it-so-there
>>
"Today in fun things to do when you're busy wasting time at work, there is now a Facebook Messenger bot that identifies objects in photos. The bot belongs to a page called WTF Is That?, which makes sense, considering how often we come across something in the middle of the day and wonder WTF it is — and I don't think I'm the only one who's going to have a lot of fun with it.
Anyway, here's the deal: All you have to do is go to the WTF Is That? page and send them a message. The friendly bot says hello and tells you to send it whatever picture your heart desires. Then, within a few minutes, the bot identifies the object in the picture. It can even provide possible brand names.
Now, this bot likely has its limits; for example, I perhaps started off with higher expectations than I should have and sent it a picture of a tomato chunk from my lunch. The bot's response? "Your image is a red and white surface." To be fair, it wasn't wrong... it just wasn't exactly right, either." [...]

[Steadman Uhlich]

Originally Posted by Snowpetrel

Might be the one I lost off a ship 20 years ago! I felt like a right twit when I told the captain... Doing my safety checks, and the bridge wing lifebouy was a bit stiff in its rack. I successfully freed it up.. splash! Doh

LOL.
------

Captain: "This is a Man Overboard DRILL, repeat, a DRILL."

SPLASH

Crew 1: "Oh shtttt! I didn't meant to do that! What will the captain say?"

Crew 2: "Hey, it works. It does float. Now you are in trouble.,"

Later...

Captain: "Log it as a successful test of lifesaving gear. You can replace it in port. Carry on."

Crew 1: "Aye captain!" ( while thinking: "Wow! THIS Captain is a cool guy! He just won MY loyalty.")

[Snowpetrel]

Originally Posted by Steady Hand

LOL.
------

Captain: "This is a Man Overboard DRILL, repeat, a DRILL."

SPLASH

Crew 1: "Oh shtttt! I didn't meant to do that! What will the captain say?"

Crew 2: "Hey, it works. It does float. Now you are in trouble.,"

Later...

Captain: "Log it as a successful test of lifesaving gear. You can replace it in port. Carry on."

Crew 1: "Aye captain!" ( while thinking: "Wow! THIS Captain is a cool guy! He just won MY loyalty.")

Ha, yep something like that, lots of smoke as it floated astern! Captains had to put out a notice to all ships so they didn't report our missing lifebouy if they found it. He was one of the good captians...