Castillo de Salas

In 1986 the ship Castillo de Salas carrying 400,000 tonnes of coal from Norfolk Virginia slipped its anchor during a storm, while waiting for a berth in Gijon's port.

Despite attempts to re-anchor, and to tow it away from the coast, it eventually ran aground and broke up on Gijon's Santa Catalina headland, beyond the left of the picture.

Although the bulk of the wreck was subsequently moved out to sea, part of the ship remains where it sank. Quite often, after rough seas, the beach receives a reminder in the form of coal dust.

It's quite harmless but sometimes unsightly, expecially when a there's a large patch and it starts to steam in the sunshine. Not much chance of that that the moment though.