A Photo Every Day from the Sunshine Coast - Australia

Wednesday 27 January 2010

Ubiquitous



The thong (no not that kind) or humble flip flop as it's often known unless you live in New Zealand where I do believe one refers to them as jandals for some hitherto inexplicable reason, is probably the world's most travelled footware.   It seems that they are built with some sort of wanderlust so that whenever they get the opportunity they jump into the ocean and float for years at a time.

Occasionally one will beach itself.  The cause of this behaviour is not known, but there are several theories regarding ridding itself of parasites, or perhaps they aren't well and are trying to commit suicide.

Whatever the case, no one has yet explained why only right side shoes wash up in the Southern hemisphere, while the left side ones can be found in climes north of the equator.


© Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia
SHARE:

8 comments

Lois said...

I'm sure it must be something very scientific that my brain would never understand!

Anonymous said...

Definitely a thinker! I saw on TV that the heap of trash in the ocean north of Hawaii is a mixture of North America, Australia, Japan, & places in between & takes up to 20 years for a piece of that trash to make it from the US, south to Australia, then up to Japan & finally settle at that garbage heap & 10 years from Japan.
Incredible that there's so much there.

Kim said...

What a great post! I'm still chuckling.

Did you know that here we have sneakers wash up on shore and they still have feet in them!? Yes, its true. There have been so many (last I heard there had been 5 in a year's time), that authorities thought they might be encountering the work of some sick serial killer. A scientist recently was able to explain the phenomenon and that it was attributable to certain folks who had drown and currents, etc.
And, my daughter always blushes and corrects me when I refer to this type of footware as thongs :-). Flip flops it is, then. Thanks for recording this happy one on your beautiful shore.
-Kim

Jim said...

Terrific shot.

Bill said...

Just as well that when our thongs beach themselves on our shores, there are no feet attached as in Kim's case.

cara said...

That's good if you are holidaying near the equator and lose your flipflops in the ocean. You won't have far to walk to pick them up when they get washed up.

Chubskulit Rose said...

That's a beautiful shot! Isn't it awesome that a very simple object can make a great story on the picture?

My Watery Wednesday entry

Noel Morata said...

aloha,

sad, yes its true there is a huge trash ocean just off hawaii that is from vast areas in the pacific that are pulling plastic and all toxic things and wildlife is feeding on this :(

Blogger Template Created by pipdig