The barque Iphigenia of Cardiff, Wales, was stranded on the Bodden Town reefs on 9 April 1874 through reckless navigation. The ship was overrun by local salvagers before Captain Joseph Boase gave her up. The salvaging of building materials and cargo from wrecked vessels, known as “wrecking”, was an important part of life for the early Caymanians, who had scarce access to imported goods and made use of the salvaged material in their daily lives. A naval court held at Grand Cayman admonished Captain Boase to be more careful in the future. The inquiry also found that the ship was pillaged in defiance of the efforts of two Caymanian Magistrates. A third Magistrate, who desired to “wreck” the ship, failed to control the scene. As a consequence of this event, a law was passed in 1875 entitled “Instructions to Receivers of Wreck Concerning their Duties in Respect of Wreck, Casualties and Salvage”. These rules for wrecking formalised the salvage system. The practice of wrecking continued until improved navigation aids made shipwrecks almost a thing of the past.