The perfumed sea

Five weeks after the container ship MSC Napoli beached in Lyme Bay, some of her spoils began to wash up many miles away on the Isle of Wight.

We were there for a short winter walking holiday, and stared at amazement at the sight of the debris on the normally clean beaches.

There was an odd, if consistent, assortment of goods disgorged by the sea, liberally distributed over miles of sand and shingle bays of south west Wight. Wrapped multiple packs of shampoo and conditioner, but covered in oil; maroon heart-shaped boxes of chocolate (undelivered Valentine's Day goodies, we assumed); long black flexible hoses for car screen wash systems (we could tell by the symbol on the cap); 15ml pots of expensive Lancome Reviving Anti-Wrinkle Cream. And hundreds of pieces of broken wood pallets. The assorted contents of a split container that slipped from the Napoli's deck, no doubt.

The less interesting accompanying sight was huge amounts of plastic scurf, which significantly marred the coastline.

And as we walked the cliff tops, we became aware of an unusual perfume in the air : the smell of shampoo from split bottles, lathered and frothed by the sea.