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Hundreds of coolers wash up off the coast of Alaska after a cargo ship lost cargo last year.
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People search for the high-end coolers, with one collector finding 19 along the coast.
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The Yeti-branded coolers retail for up to $750 — it’s unknown how many are left in the ocean.
After the freighter Zim Kingston spilled shipping containers into rough seas last October, residents of coastal Alaska are finding remnants of their lost cargo along the shoreline — mostly high-end Yeti-brand coolers.
Hundreds of the deluxe coolers, which range from $250 to $750 each, have washed up on beaches with moderate wear on the outside but in near-mint condition inside, The Wall Street Journal reported.
“We started hearing reports that some of these coolers ended up on the coast of Alaska, Seattle and beyond late last year when fans posted their finds on social media,” Yeti chairman and CEO Matt Reintjes told The Wall Street Journal, adding that the company lost about 1,600 coolers from the Zim Kingston cargo.
The unusual beach litter has caught the attention of locals, some of whom have made it a hobby to search for treasure along Alaska’s 6,640 miles of coastline. One resident told The Wall Street Journal that during his search he found 19 Yeti coolers and four others of different brands.
“The Yetis are still here,” oceanographer Curtis Ebbesmeyer, who studies how ocean debris moves on currents, told The Wall Street Journal.
“The coolers will continue to circle the world. You’ll get reports of people finding Yetis for the next 30 years.”
Read the original article on Insider
