It is difficult to believe that a day, which many would never forget, occurred fully five years ago. The 26th of March 1997 is a day, which brings back countless memories and emotions for so many connected with Scilly.
On a morning, not dissimilar to this one in terms of weather and conditions, an event was to take place that would change the Islands forever. The wreck of the Cita had a wide array of influences, not only on locals and Islanders, but also for all those who cared about Scilly. One of the most excitement fuelled days in living memory has a much darker side; the potential of a disaster, which could have ruined Scilly for Islanders, visitors and the entire environment alike.
At just after 3:00AM on this Wednesday Morn, a fully laden ship steamed into rocks off Porth Hellick bay, St. Marys. This ship could have been carrying oil. It could have been carrying Nuclear Material, Chemicals or poison. Sheer luck, and fate, had it that this ship was a container ship. The consequences icould/i have been so much worse.
The impacts were as varied as they were wide reaching, touching the lives, in some way, of every person who lived on the Islands at the time. Containers washed ashore carrying general cargo, from fine wooden doors, to tobacco, to plastic carrier bags, to high spec technical goods and Ben Sherman shirts.
Five years on, the material effects are eventually wearing thin. The economic impact though, was felt as an initial aftershock, as onlookers turned salvagers. The economic effect has been, to a large extent, overlooked as a criterion in the popular history of the wreck. Like it or not, the wreck of the Cita did boost the Island’s economy, despite the cost of the cleanup operation. Medial things such as the need not to buy shoes, the general trade of goods that took place around the Islands, the salvage compensation received, the building materials recovered and even the direct sale of Computer mice all placed money in the pockets of the average wrecker. The travel companies also made profits from people on the mainland, wishing to have their ?very own piece? of the fairytale, which was played out across the world over the net and television. This is not to mention the fashion effects the wreck had, the Ben Sherman shirt was certainly the statement of the year amongst the youth ranks.
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“subinfo” Some of the plastic computer cables, which have been wedged in between rocks./span
Some of the most apparent effects, which are still being felt today, are the environmental consequences. Thankfully the cleanup operation was a relative success and the fears that some sort of dangerous chemicals could leak from containers have, as yet, not come to fruition. There are, of course, still remnants of goods being washed ashore today, plastics perhaps being the most damaging to the environment overall. One of the most dramatic reminders of the Cita are the shells of containers, which can still be seen dotted around the Islands today. Whether these are an eyesore, or simply another part of these historic Island’s great story, is a greatly debated issue.
The community aspect is also a major matter, as through this wreck the community demonstrated it’s adaptability in adversity and new friendships were formed along with an historic sense of teamwork, which has seen the Islands through good times and bad. Personal memories include the jovial way we joked as we attempted to shield our salvage from surveillance helicopters, behind great sheets of ply, as the choppers roared overhead. Several, including me have witnessed containers sink in specific places, and it stands to reason that they would still be there after these short five years; something tells me that the full repercussions have not yet been played out.
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“subinfo” Testament to the power of the sea; the mangled remains of a container thrown up the shore and staining the rocks brown with rust./span
The wreck of the Cita is popularly seen as folklore around the Islands; the stuff of dreams. Personal opinion remains varied as do personal experiences. The predominant view which most Islanders seem to take, whether it be right or wrong, is that the Cita was an exciting day and thanks to the quick responses taken, the environment was saved from what would have been no less than a total disaster. Lesson have been learned and contingencies such as the exclusion zone implementation have to be viewed as a positive step in ensuring a freak accident, as this was, never takes place again. If another Cita were to come ashore, the consequences could be so very much worse. It is important to remember this when we think about the positives this wreck, five years ago, brought to many lives.
