While we are far out at sea – usually 60 miles or so off shore – we periodically drop a message in a bottle in the vast blue ocean, in the hopes that someone will find it someday and communicate with us. Kind of like sending messages out to space, right?
In the bottle, we place a note explaining who we are, where we are sailing, our GPS location when we dropped the bottle, and our contact information. The bottles mostly follow the wind and currents to their final destination.
We were recently interviewed by a Charleston local news broadcast program about the program. Watch it >>
You would be amazed how often people reach out to us! Here are their stories.
Farthest Travelled – 4500 Miles!
Location & Date Found: June 7, 2025, White Beach, South Morocco
Location & Date Dropped: October 10, 2023, Gulf Stream off coast of South Carolina.
Miles & Time Travelled: 4500 miles – 605 days
Story: We dropped this bottle in the Gulf Stream off the coast of South Carolina, USA on October 10, 2023, on our way to the Salty Dawg Caribbean Rally meetup point in Hampton VA. Read about the Salty Dawn trip.
The bottle traveled as much as 4,500 miles in 605 days (1 year and 8 months) following the Gulf Stream and North Atlantic currents. It ended up in MOROCCO! There is a sea called the White Beach, located in the south of Morocco, in the Saharan regions where it was picked up.
Youngest Finder – 11 years old
Location & Date Found: June 18, 2024, Puerto Morelos, Mexican
Location & Date Dropped: March 8, 2024, Grenada (Southern Caribbean)
Miles & Time Travelled: 1529 miles – 100 days
Story: PILAR dropped this bottle around March 8 while leaving Grenada, West Indies and it was found by Natalie M (11 yrs old) June 18th in Puerto Morelos, Mexico on the Yucatan Peninsula. This bottle traveled approximately 1,529 miles in 100 days at a rate of 15 miles/day largely due to the easterly trade winds. Congratulations Natalie and thanks for letting us know you found our Message in a Bottle. Read about our sail from Grenada.
Shortest Journey – 15 Miles
Location & Date Found: September 4, 2023, Friendship Maine
Location & Date Dropped: July 24, 2023 – Monhegan Island, Maine
Miles & Time Travelled: 15 miles – 42 days
Story: This message made it about 15 miles. They write, “Hello Stephen & Dawn! My husband found your bottle while lobstering a few days ago and we wanted to reach out. Our daughter was so excited to open it! We have added a note with yours and will re-release it this week for the next people to find, hopefully somewhere far away
thanks so much! – The Emerson’s, Friendship, Maine.
St Lucia to Martinique:
Location & Date Found: May 27, 2024 – Martinique
Location & Date Dropped: March 15, 2024 – St. Lucia
Miles & Time Travelled: 40 miles – 73 days
Story: Our latest travelled 40 miles from St Lucia to Martinique! Thanks for reaching out JD! Also don’t miss our story about anchoring in front of the St. Lucia Pitons.
Barnacles Included
Location & Date Found: August 31, 2023 – Jacksonville, Florida
Location & Date Dropped: March 17, 2024 – Off shore Guadeloupe, West Indies
Miles & Time Travelled: Over 1500 miles in 199 days.
Story: The first one with barnacles! We received this message from Adan. (translated). “I found your message in the bottle in Ponte Vendrá beach Jacksonville Florida. I work in a hotel and while walking along the beach early in the morning I found the bottle on the shore. Here are the coordinates on the paper in the bottle. 16°28.589N 61°59.485W”
SailingPilar replied: “Wow! We dropped that bottle when we saw some whales while we were sailing between Guadeloupe and Montserrat. Over 1500 miles it traveled!
Our First!
Location & Date Found: July 26, 2023 – Phippsburg, Maine
Location & Date Dropped: July 14, 2023 – Jewell Island, Maine
Miles & Time Travelled: 60 miles – 12 days
Story: Dropped at Jewell island Maine and traveled about 60 miles to Phippsburg, Maine. The first time we had someone reach out to us!
Most Remote Location
Location & Date Found: June 17, 2024 – Hard Hill Settlement, Acklins Island Bahamas
Location & Date Dropped: May 5, 2024 – San Juan, Puerto Rico
Miles & Time Travelled: 508 miles – 41 days
Story: We dropped one off San Juan, Puerto Rico and it was recovered 508 miles from there on Hard Hill Settlement, Acklins Island Bahamas by Captain Henry Rolles jr. (Jay R) on a beach walk. It traveled 508 miles in 41 days making 12.3 miles/day or .59 nautical MPH. Oddly it traveled the exact route we took. We also landed in Acklins Island but did so much faster than the bottle.
Puerto Rico
Acklins Island Bahamas
