Msg in a Bottle

[NLH Arizona]

I know that it is probally against the law but has anybody ever put a msg in a bottle and thrown it over board? If so have you ever found out where it went?

Not only against the law, but it can harm sea life. You do know that if swallowed by some fish and mammals, it would be a very slow painful death.

[OceansOfTravels]

It is against international law to throw anything other than ground up food waste overboard. And there are even restrictions on this food waste when in special areas like the Greater Caribbean Area. Remember that the ship has surveillance cameras that cover the sides and stern of the ship, so you could possibly be captured on camera, and since the cruise lines are under heavy scrutiny for past violations of MARPOL, and the hope of people getting rewards for reporting MARPOL violations, the cruise line would not hesitate to ensure that any fine is passed to you. Fines can range from thousands of dollars for a single violation to millions.

 

GO back and reread my post. I said that I don't think a few people doing it is that big of a deal, but I do understand the laws and why it is forbidden. I then when on saying that I would love to do it, but if I ever do decide to do it before I die, I will find a different venue other than a cruise ship. :)

[sail7seas]

When they say 'nothing overboard, they mean throw nothing overboard

[B+S]

...and since the cruise lines are under heavy scrutiny for past violations of MARPOL, and the hope of people getting rewards for reporting MARPOL violations, the cruise line would not hesitate to ensure that any fine is passed to you. Fines can range from thousands of dollars for a single violation to millions.

 

That's intriguing information. I read that the MARPOL rules would not apply to a message in a bottle. PLEASE! can you give us a source (anywhere) where someone was fined by MARPOL for tossing a message in the bottle into the sea. That would be quite a precedent, and you sound pretty sure of yourself. Or, that a Cruise Line was fined for such and "did not hesitate" to pass it on. Thank you in advance!

 

I admittedly have tossed many a bottle (years ago) and some were indeed found, but then again, I've at least offset their environmental impact by picking up tons of other potentially far deadlier marine debris over the years. From a cruise ship? Not me. Still, I think it's still a personal decision. PC Police will probably say otherwise... they always do.

Edited July 30, 2016 by B+S

[chengkp75]

That's intriguing information. I read that the MARPOL rules would not apply to a message in a bottle. PLEASE! can you give us a source (anywhere) where someone was fined by MARPOL for tossing a message in the bottle into the sea. That would be quite a precedent, and you sound pretty sure of yourself. Or, that a Cruise Line was fined for such and "did not hesitate" to pass it on. Thank you in advance!

 

I admittedly have tossed many a bottle (years ago) and some were indeed found, but then again, I've at least offset their environmental impact by picking up tons of other potentially far deadlier marine debris over the years. From a cruise ship? Not me. Still, I think it's still a personal decision. PC Police will probably say otherwise... they always do.

 

Here is a link to the MARPOL Annex V matrix for what may be discharged at sea. Note the bottom category includes "glass, metal, bottles, crockery and similar refuse".

 

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=7&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwio76i0xZvOAhUE0oMKHYaOALMQFggzMAY&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ocean.washington.edu%2Ffiles%2Fmarpol_annex_v-guidline2013feb26.pdf&usg=AFQjCNGlxU9ia0gxKbh4gXaUaIY_U52iaw

 

I didn't see anything in the Wikipedia link you have about a message in a bottle, maybe I'm missing something. But many things on Wiki are not accurate. I've just looked through our 2011 version of MARPOL, specifically Annex V which covers garbage, and there is no reference what so ever to exemptions for message bottles. Regulation 6 gives the only exemptions to the prohibition of discharging any garbage at sea as: "discharge necessary for the safety of the ship or saving life at sea; discharge caused by damage to the ship; accidental loss of synthetic fishing nets".

 

I do not know of an incident where someone was fined for it, nor did I say I knew of a case, just that you would be liable. Cruise lines have been fined for violations of MARPOL on many, many occasions, frequently from cell phone video sent to the authorities by passengers to claim the rewards offered for reporting these incidents. If the line were fined, there is no doubt in my mind that they would investigate to the fullest of their capabilities to find out who did it, and shift the onus on that person if it was not a company employee.

 

As with all the legal issues and corporate policy issues brought up on CC, I know that I can never change someone's mind, I just present the facts. Ships are required to record every scrap of trash generated onboard, and document its disposal in multiple records for multiple agencies to inspect up to years later. As a mariner of 40 years, I detest seeing the crap that people toss into the oceans, rivers and harbors, and flush down storm drains.

[cml4958]

As with all the legal issues and corporate policy issues brought up on CC, I know that I can never change someone's mind, I just present the facts. Ships are required to record every scrap of trash generated onboard, and document its disposal in multiple records for multiple agencies to inspect up to years later. As a mariner of 40 years, I detest seeing the crap that people toss into the oceans, rivers and harbors, and flush down storm drains.

 

I for one, thank you for all the information you provide on these boards. I have learned a ton of things from your thoughtful, accurate, and even-handed posts. Thanks again for your information and your service.

[iheartbda]

I for one, thank you for all the information you provide on these boards. I have learned a ton of things from your thoughtful, accurate, and even-handed posts. Thanks again for your information and your service.

 

I fully agree and, once again, Chengkp is being very diplomatic and patient.

 

Crazy auto correct had changed Chengkp to ache hip and just changed it again to ache goo.:D:D;):D

[EBchickens74]

if there weren't the issue of being wrong or illegal & not frowned upon on a cruise ship; what would you say in the message & what else(if anything) would you include in the bottle? Also, preferred vessel/bottle type?

 

(not sure if I could do it knowing of the seabirds who die from eating toxic plastic trash & the other creatures who may try to consume the tainted birds, etc~ from all sorts of sources---just curious)

[Shorex]

Long, long ago in a state far far away from oceans, I was a kid. My parents would toss trash from the car routinely and without thought. Even then I thought it a tacky thing to do -- many roadsides were littered with garbage. Just ugly. Why did they do it? Well, everyone else did it, so why not?

 

It was Lady Bird Johnson who started a beautification campaign. She changed the conscious of America and Americans. It is now socially unacceptable to litter the highways, and honorable people do not.

 

The old excuse, "well, there's so much trash in the oceans, a little more won't matter," just doesn't fly. Lady Bird led the way in cleaning up the highways. There are environmental organizations begging us to help keep the oceans clean. Ocean Conservancy is but one of many. Every little bit of trash that doesn't get thrown overboard contributes to the goal of cleaning up the oceans. We are now at the time where it is socially, as well as legally and ethically, unacceptable to litter the oceans.

 

Sure, if you're going to throw that bottle into the ocean, why not throw your trash in the road? You're just another litterbug.

[EBchickens74]

Long, long ago in a state far far away from oceans, I was a kid. My parents would toss trash from the car routinely and without thought. Even then I thought it a tacky thing to do -- many roadsides were littered with garbage. Just ugly. Why did they do it? Well, everyone else did it, so why not?

 

It was Lady Bird Johnson who started a beautification campaign. She changed the conscious of America and Americans. It is now socially unacceptable to litter the highways, and honorable people do not.

 

The old excuse, "well, there's so much trash in the oceans, a little more won't matter," just doesn't fly. Lady Bird led the way in cleaning up the highways. There are environmental organizations begging us to help keep the oceans clean. Ocean Conservancy is but one of many. Every little bit of trash that doesn't get thrown overboard contributes to the goal of cleaning up the oceans. We are now at the time where it is socially, as well as legally and ethically, unacceptable to litter the oceans.

 

Sure, if you're going to throw that bottle into the ocean, why not throw your trash in the road? You're just another litterbug.

 

Dear holier than thou,

FIRST of all, I have not done this. It was a HYPOTHETICAL question. Geez. I'm sorry you have no imagination. Came here to have fun, not be bashed.

Edited November 6, 2016 by EBchickens74
posted too soon by mistake

[WupperAV]

Yup! A lady jumped off a ship we were on and they fished her out, fined her $5000.00 US although we were in Italy and threw her back in. I was drinking out of 2 wine bottles back in 2010 (Statue of limitations is up) in the S China Sea and they both slipped out of my hand, overboard and luckily I had put the corks back in with wax. Nothing ever came back to me tho. Too late. I'm a bad person, fined myself $5000.00 US and spent it on a boat.

[Flatbush Flyer]

I was hoping you would reply, you had great commentary in the posts about 7 years ago. Glad you responded :)

 

 

 

I assume if done from a lower deck at a late hour with minimal to no witnesses, it would not be that big of a deal. But I do understand the anger and restriction towards it. I guess for those who decide to do it, as you said, should be extremely discrete and lowkey.

 

 

 

To both send and find a message in a bottle is on my bucket list, guess I'll have to pick a different venue to send one. It sucks though, I can already picture me in the scene from Titanic :D

 

 

Why not take the time and energy you're ready to invest in this obnoxious prank and, instead, write a $1,000 check to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. After all, wouldn't you rather be remembered as a charitable donor to ocean ecology more than just another overgrown kid throwing crap overboard?

[GUT2407]

My wife's family found one once, the class of a girl migrating from England to Australia each wrote a letter and she threw one over board every day or so.

 

My wife wrote to the girl who wrote the one her family found, about 50 years later they still write, though email has replaced pen and paper.

[WupperAV]

Flatbush Flyer I sincerely doubt you ever have. BTW/I've given a lot of money to the Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Foundation, donated several acres of woods to a natural habitat, don't use fertilizer or weed killers or poison on our farm and raise animals free range. I have sailed a lot of miles and seen the trash from the tidal waves and been to India and seen garbage everywhere. Why not take up the cause of cleaning India and China?:eek:

 

Gun Control: Use both hands!

Edited November 6, 2016 by WupperAV

[Flatbush Flyer]

Flatbush Flyer I sincerely doubt you ever have. BTW/I've given a lot of money to the Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Foundation, donated several acres of woods to a natural habitat, don't use fertilizer or weed killers or poison on our farm and raise animals free range. I have sailed a lot of miles and seen the trash from the tidal waves and been to India and seen garbage everywhere. Why not take up the cause of cleaning India and China?:eek:

 

 

 

Gun Control: Use both hands!

 

 

Duh! I'm not the one wanting to throw junk in the ocean. (In any case, you "sincerely doubt" wrongly.)

The point if your self-aggrandizement is???

[chengkp75]

Flatbush Flyer I sincerely doubt you ever have. BTW/I've given a lot of money to the Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Foundation, donated several acres of woods to a natural habitat, don't use fertilizer or weed killers or poison on our farm and raise animals free range. I have sailed a lot of miles and seen the trash from the tidal waves and been to India and seen garbage everywhere. Why not take up the cause of cleaning India and China?:eek:

 

Gun Control: Use both hands!

 

Way wider spread than India and China, and way closer to home than those, or doesn't anyone remember the Rio Olympics. I've spent many a day in Rio harbor and other ports along South America, and just like India and China, even if you go in and clean it up, until their laws change its not going to do anything, as it will come right back. Do you really think Rio is continuing to implement the "strainers" that kept the appliances and mattresses from entering Rio harbor from the rivers?

[Nanobot]

Yup! A lady jumped off a ship we were on and they fished her out, fined her $5000.00 US although we were in Italy and threw her back in. I was drinking out of 2 wine bottles back in 2010 (Statue of limitations is up) in the S China Sea and they both slipped out of my hand, overboard and luckily I had put the corks back in with wax. Nothing ever came back to me tho. Too late. I'm a bad person, fined myself $5000.00 US and spent it on a boat.

 

 

I am assuming that your "(Statute of limitations is up)" is a comedic turn of phrase. If not, please be advised that there is no statute of limitations in international regulations.

[iheartbda]

I am assuming that your "(Statute of limitations is up)" is a comedic turn of phrase. If not, please be advised that there is no statute of limitations in international regulations.

I also assume they were trying to be funny about pulling out a lady and throwing her back in. If it was, it was a poor attempt at humor.

[sail7seas]

All ships have rule for "nothing overboard. No tossing anything.

[FlyerTalker]

Why do I suspect that the same people who think "it's only one bottle, what will it hurt" are a subset of "it's my vacation, I'll do what I want" group.

 

They'll toss overboard the bottle right after hitting the dining room on formal night in their tank tops and flip flops.

[WupperAV]

Nah! Its true about the lady. Have my own boat and can throw anything overboard I want. I usually do what I want when I go on vacation. After all I am not being led like a lamb to slaughter. Why wouldn't I do what I want on a vacation. You don't plan it, I do. I'm not in the Military. BWAHAHA End of thread. At least I don't quote everyone and I don't put the same 6 little lines on every post I make.

Edited November 6, 2016 by WupperAV