[pct-l] Flotsam and Jetsam

[abiegen at cox.net]

Marine law has a number of ways of helping people deal with wrecks, flotsam, jetsam, etc. that can be found in the sea. Jetsam refers to materials that are purposefully thrown over board (jettisoned) . Flotsam refers to materials that float off a ship without having been thrown in deliberately. A shipwreck usually results in Flotsam and not jetsam. Generally speaking, jetsam is the property of the finder, while flotsam remains the property of its original owner.

I can only assume that these laws arose after centuries or millennium of  the principals of "finder's keeps" failing to reduce the chaos in society. 

I would think that it would be fairly easy to discern those items found on the trail that are flotsam (packs, poles, cameras, etc.) and those that are jetsam (corn spaghetti, clif bars, giardia encrusted undergarments, etc.). 

Can we all agree that the trail flotsam still belongs to the original owner until proven otherwise? It would lift the trail community at least up to the level of the first maritime laws of the 1400's.

TrailHacker

"When my feet hurt, I can't think" - Abraham Lincoln