06/28/2012
A MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE
May 6-13 was the scheduled date for our cruise on the Royal Caribbean Cruise before we left for the airport, I put my name, address and email address in a plain water bottle.
Ever since I saw the movie “Message in a Bottle” with Paul Newman and Kevin Costner I made
a promise to myself that if I were ever to set said in the ocean, I was going to put a “message in a bottle (photo)
We left Port Canaveral at 4:30 on May 6 for our seven day voyage.
Our cruise itineraries were three ports of call.
There were to be Cococay, Bahamas, Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas and Philipsburg, St. Maarten.
Some where between these ports of call, I threw the bottle overboard.
I watched it bob up and down and as we passed it by I said a silent good by.
We had a wonderful seven day cruise enjoying all the surprises and excitement of he cruise ship.
I had forgotten all about the bottle that I had thrown overboard once I arrived home.
I thought when I threw it overboard that I would never hear anything about it but I was
willing to take that chance.
On Friday, June 22 as I usually do I received the surprise of my life-
Some one had found my bottle and this is the message that I received.
“Hi Richard, we found your plastic bottle on Manjack Cay also known as Nunjack, near Green Turtle Cay, Abaco Bahamas, it would be nice to know when and where you dropped the bottle in the water, if you have a minute please let us know. We found the bottle June 12th, 2012.”
I suspect because the bottle was light plastic and floated high on the water that the winds blew it to its final resting place which was above the high tide mark on the beach facing a South East direction. http://www.abacobeachresort.com/
Clif
After reading this message, I ran into the bathroom where Janet was blow drying her hair.
I waved to her to turn off the dryer and told what had happened.
She was as surprised as I was.
I told Clif in my reply where I thought I had dropped the bottle over board.
(Three photos from Clif should be sent as attachments if I can remember to insert them)
We sent replies back and forth for the next few days telling a little about ourselves.
He has been going to the Bahamas, off and on, for the past 35 years. His wife and he take the month of June to go to a little place in the Abacos called Green Turtle Cay. They live in North Palm Beach, Fl. and make this jaunt every year on their sailboat. (3 Photos)
Because it is a sailboat the price of fuel is of no concern and living aboard gives them the chance to come and go as they please.
They sent me the email replies from the boat via wi-fi.
Sometimes when the weather is turns bad they have come into a place called Black Sound.
Both of them much prefer being "on the hook" but when winds exceed 30kts its best to pick up a mooring in a protected harbor.
During our email exchange he mentioned that he was from Maryland.
That was a real surprise.
I looked up Abaco Island on the “NET” and it looks like a paradise.
I wonder if any other cruising person has ever sent ‘A message In A Bottle’
WOW..WHAT A GREAT TRUE STORY!!
