This morning on NPR, I learned something I never knew before. I'd always thought that flotsam was floating debris and jetsam was debris that had washed ashore. It turns out I was mistaken. Flotsam is debris that is washed into the water and jetsam is debris that is thrown. This fact confirms Tolkein's genius is the naming of the chapter Flotasm and Jetsam.

And now, some linkage:
How Nikes, toys and hockey gear help ocean science
Toy Ducks Lost At Sea Trace Currents
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