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What happened to the Branscombe booty? What happened to the Branscombe booty?
(about 3 hours later)
By Jon Kelly, Devon BBC NewsBy Jon Kelly, Devon BBC News
Jack hopes to make £5,000 from the bike Rescued booty In January 2007, scavengers swarmed to Branscombe in Devon in search of plunder. But what happened to the booty they took away?Jack hopes to make £5,000 from the bike Rescued booty In January 2007, scavengers swarmed to Branscombe in Devon in search of plunder. But what happened to the booty they took away?
A year on, the MSC Napoli still casts a shadow over Branscombe - literally.A year on, the MSC Napoli still casts a shadow over Branscombe - literally.
Half of its stern, still waiting to be removed by salvagers, is still visible from the shore.Half of its stern, still waiting to be removed by salvagers, is still visible from the shore.
When it ran aground off the coast of Branscombe, the villagers could not have predicted what the wreck would bring them. When the container ship ran aground off the coast of Branscombe, the villagers could not have predicted what the wreck would bring them.
Containers washed from the stricken vessel delivered BMW motorbikes, pet food, anti-wrinkle cream, empty wine barrels, copies of the Bible in Xhosa - and a horde of scavengers eager for booty. Crates washed from the stricken vessel delivered BMW motorbikes, pet food, anti-wrinkle cream, empty wine barrels, copies of the Bible in Xhosa - and a horde of scavengers eager for booty.
Cider brandy Shipwreck, £28 a bottleMost were disappointed. Only 17 motorbikes - by far the most valuable item of cargo - came ashore, and most beachcombers could only fill their pockets with soggy cosmetics.Cider brandy Shipwreck, £28 a bottleMost were disappointed. Only 17 motorbikes - by far the most valuable item of cargo - came ashore, and most beachcombers could only fill their pockets with soggy cosmetics.
But a select few were lucky. Contrary to portrayals of them as lawless looters, the Receiver of Wreck has been informed, as the law requires, of the whereabouts of 13 bikes. But contrary to portrayals of them as lawless looters, the Receiver of Wreck has been informed, as the law requires, of the whereabouts of 13 of the bikes. Two undocumented bikes have been seized in a police raid and a further two are unaccounted for.
Two undocumented bikes were seized in a police raid and a further two are unaccounted for. Jack Pyne, 23, a bar manager from nearby Sidmouth, is one of the handful to come away with a bike, shared with two friends. After hearing about the Napoli on the local news, they went down to Branscombe out of nothing more than curiosity.
Jack Pyne, 23, a bar manager from nearby Sidmouth, was one of the lucky handful who managed to get his hands on one, shared with two friends. After hearing about the Napoli on the local news, they went down to Branscombe out of nothing more than curiosity. "There was a crowd around the container and someone said, 'Help everyone else and you'll get one too'.
"We didn't realise that motorbikes had come ashore until we saw the container," Jack recalls. "There was a crowd around it and someone said, 'Help everyone else and you'll get one too.' "I didn't go down there with the intention of stealing anything and I wouldn't have taken the bike if the policeman on the beach hadn't said it was OK. I've filled in all the forms and done everything by the book."
"I didn't go down there with the intention of stealing anything and I wouldn't have taken the bike if the policeman on the beach hadn't said it was ok. I've filled in all the forms and done everything by the book."
Seawater 'damage'Seawater 'damage'
If he is given the all-clear to keep the bike, Jack hopes to sell it for around £5,000 ("it is second hand, after all"), after replacing several parts to make it road-legal in the UK - the vehicle having been built for the South African market. If he is given the all-clear to keep the bike, Jack hopes to sell it for about £5,000 ("it is second hand, after all"), after replacing several parts to make it road-legal in the UK - the vehicle having been built for the South African market.
"I'm just glad to have been part of history," Jack says. "And I suppose I'm quite proud that people came from all over the country to try and get a bike, but I was one of the few to have managed it." Scavengers swarmed on the beach a year agoBMW says it wants the bikes back, but the scavengers have turned down the £260 it has offered them for each vehicle. The company says the motorbikes are not roadworthy because of damage from seawater.
BMW says it wants the bikes back, but the scavengers have turned down the £260 it has offered them for each vehicle. The company says the motorbikes are not roadworthy because of damage from seawater. But Jack, who has stored the bike in a secret hiding place, retorts: "I know it works because I had a go on it down on the beach - there was a tiny amount of petrol in the tank."
Scavengers swarmed on the beach a year agoBut Jack, who has stored the bike in a secret hiding place, retorts: "I know it works because I had a go on it down on the beach - there was a tiny amount of petrol in the tank. We'll get a mechanic to check it out, anyway." Jim Newton, 37, from Beer, the next village along from Branscombe, rowed out to fetch back six wooden barrels - destined for a South African vineyard - which were floating in the sea.
Another local man who benefited from the Napoli's fate was fisherman Jim Newton, 37, from Beer, the next village along the coast from Branscombe.
Jim rowed out to fetch back, one at a time, six wooden barrels - destined for a South African vineyard - which were floating in the sea.
He kept two for himself - one of which he has fitted with chairs and converted into a table for his garden- and gave the rest away to neighbours.He kept two for himself - one of which he has fitted with chairs and converted into a table for his garden- and gave the rest away to neighbours.
Villagers had mixed feelings about the wreckage"Everyone talked about how much they were worth, but I didn't have any intention of selling them," Jim says. "Everyone talked about how much they were worth, but I didn't have any intention of selling them," Jim says.
"They were in excellent condition, and if we hadn't taken them away they would have just ended up as landfill. Villagers had mixed feelings about the wreckage"They were in excellent condition, and if we hadn't taken them away they would have just ended up as landfill.
"The Napoli caused a lot of disruption, but at the end of the day it put this area on the map. It's been good for the local tourist trade.""The Napoli caused a lot of disruption, but at the end of the day it put this area on the map. It's been good for the local tourist trade."
One trader who has made the most of the wreck is Julian Temperley of the Somerset Distillery, 20 miles across the county boundary.One trader who has made the most of the wreck is Julian Temperley of the Somerset Distillery, 20 miles across the county boundary.
Julian was not a scavenger himself. But he paid those who were between £60 and £100 each for 18 barrels, in which he matures 10-year-old cider brandy - labelled Shipwreck, and selling for £28 a bottle.Julian was not a scavenger himself. But he paid those who were between £60 and £100 each for 18 barrels, in which he matures 10-year-old cider brandy - labelled Shipwreck, and selling for £28 a bottle.
He admits that his attempts to profit from the Napoli's fate has not been universally well-received in the area.He admits that his attempts to profit from the Napoli's fate has not been universally well-received in the area.
"There are some pompous gits who say it shouldn't be allowed, that it's vandalism," he says. "But wrecking is a great west country tradition. "There are some pompous gits who say it shouldn't be allowed, that it's vandalism," he says. "But wrecking is a great West country tradition.
"The Napoli is a great story, a modern-day Whisky Galore. People will talk about it for years. We should be making the most of it.""The Napoli is a great story, a modern-day Whisky Galore. People will talk about it for years. We should be making the most of it."
It's unbelievable how much it hurt in our hearts that people do things like that Anita Bokdal That's not a view shared by Anita Bokdal and her husband Jan, who were horrified to see their crate being ransacked on the television news as they sat at home in South Africa. They watched as items worth more than £47,000, but of huge sentimental value, were plundered. Family heirlooms
Twelve months on, she estimates only about 2% has been recovered. Pictures embroidered by her late father-in-law and most of a fine bone china tea set which was a wedding present to her in-laws are still missing. But Anita Bokdal and her husband Jan were horrified to see their crate being ransacked on the television news as they sat at home in South Africa. They watched as items worth more than £47,000, and of huge sentimental value, were plundered.
"Some things were only available in our hearts, it's very sad," she says. "We still cry about those copper trays and embroidered paintings. It's unbelievable how much it hurt in our hearts that people do things like that Anita Bokdal Twelve months on, she estimates only about 2% has been recovered. Pictures embroidered by her late father-in-law and most of a fine bone china tea set - a wedding present to her in-laws - are still missing.
"It's like we lost our parents for a second time. It's unbelievable how much it hurt in our hearts that people do things like that." "Some things were only available in our hearts, it's very sad," she says. "We still cry about those copper trays and embroidered paintings. It's like we lost our parents for a second time. It's unbelievable how much it hurt in our hearts that people do things like that."
She received a small insurance payout but hopes to get a sum from the shipping company. And she's fulsome in her praise of the villagers who welcomed her on a visit back to the beach last May.She received a small insurance payout but hopes to get a sum from the shipping company. And she's fulsome in her praise of the villagers who welcomed her on a visit back to the beach last May.
Well fed - Mackerel and ConkersBarbara Farquharson, 68, a retired archaeology professor whose home overlooks Branscombe beach, is reminded of the wreck every time she looks out of her window. Well fed - Mackerel and ConkersBarbara Farquharson, 68, a retired archaeology professor whose home overlooks Branscombe beach, took two bags of catfood from the beach - both of which she fed to pet felines Mackerel and Conkers.
But she only took only two bags of catfood from the beach - both of which she fed to pet felines Mackerel and Conkers.
"The authorities told us it would be inedible because of the seawater," she laughs. "But the cats seemed to enjoy it."The authorities told us it would be inedible because of the seawater," she laughs. "But the cats seemed to enjoy it.
"There were very different opinions within the village about the scavenging. Some argued that if you found sixpence on the beach and took it away, that would be theft. Others said it was legal, so what's the problem?"There were very different opinions within the village about the scavenging. Some argued that if you found sixpence on the beach and took it away, that would be theft. Others said it was legal, so what's the problem?
"I felt that after all the chaos that we endured, a few bags of catfood each was the least we deserved.""I felt that after all the chaos that we endured, a few bags of catfood each was the least we deserved."
Other scavengers insist they were good Samaritans.
Tom Coombs, 42, an IT worker from Seaton, Devon, found an oil painting on the beach. He cleaned it up and sent photographs to the Receiver of Wreck - who reunited the artwork with its delighted owner.
Tom says he is typical of those who visited Branscombe in the wake of the Napoli.
"The papers all said everyone was down there to grab whatever they could for themselves, but I think most people just came because they were curious.
"I had no intention whatsoever of keeping the painting, I just thought it would be ruined if it had been left where it was and that would have been a shame. I'm glad it's back with its rightful owner now - that's all I ever wanted to see."
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