Flotsam, jetsam, lagan and derelict

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I wrote recently about ‘mudlarking’, fossicking along the Thames for buried treasures. This led me to think about picking through flotsam and jetsam. I thought I’d better check on the difference between the two words and I came across ‘lagan’ and ‘derelict’. These four words – flotsam, jetsam, lagan and derelict – are all concerned with maritime law, used for types of property lost or abandoned at sea. Flotsam is stuff that has floated to the surface after coming away from a sunken vessel, or been washed overboard. Jetsam is cargo deliberately thrown overboard from a ship or wreckage. Lagan refers to goods which sink when thrown overboard but are linked to a floating marker so the location can be found at a later date. Derelict refers to sunken goods which have been abandoned but with no hope of them being reclaimed. So there you have it. I wonder how long before I forget ‘lagan’. The photo was taken in the Fremantle Maritime Museum.