My son received a reply to his "message in a bottle" from Cuba

[T. Advisor King]

There have been a few threads recently about whether it is okay to launch a “message in a bottle” off a cruise ship (i.e., is it “littering” or not. If so, is it still okay. If you do it, is plastic potentially more harmful than glass, etc.). I don’t want to reignite that debate, but my son just received an email from a fellow in Cuba who received the message in a bottle we sent from the Conquest in March.

We were on the Western Caribbean itinerary from March 22-29. Each night around 10:00 pm, we launched a bottle (by throwing it off our 8th deck balcony) and recorded the position of the launch.

We’ve emailed the finder back and asked him to confirm the date on the message he found (each one was uniquely dated). In his original message, he mentioned that he found it April 6 and said that was 10 days after we launched it. That would make it the March 27 bottle, which we launched Friday night, about four hours north after leaving Cozumel, Mexico. The coordinates of the launch were N21 Deg 45’ by W86 Deg 45’.

The finder said he found it on a beach called Bailén Beach, which I believe is on the south side of the western tip of Cuba near the town of El Sebalo and is at approximately N22 Deg 10’ by W83 Deg 58’ (which is about 25 miles SW of Pinar del Rio, which itself is about 90 miles SW of Havana).

Assuming I have all this info right, the bottle travelled about 200 miles, almost due east, in 10 days (or less, depending on how long it was sitting on the beach before it was found).

Now my son and I are both sending message back and forth to this Cuban fellow, but neither of us speaks any Spanish so we’re doing our best with one of those on-line, automatic translators!

[jolyn928]

How awesome! That is so exciting for your son! I am sure that wil be one family vacation he will never forget:)

[Purplehaze21]

Thats awesome! Glad you got a response. Probably made your and your sons day!

[dec2007w3boys]

What a great idea! And a huge learning experience for your son. Kudos to you!

[colette5479]

How fun!! My kids would love to do this. Thanks for sharing!

[Cruisin' Ron VA]

What fun!

 

Good for you!

 

I dont see it as littering. It is just a different way of sending a letter. Some people use email. Some people use the postal service. Some people use a bottle. Whats the difference between the latter? :confused: Either way you are sending a letter.

 

Going to give it a shot one of these days.

[barbgazz]

You're not permitted to throw anything off the side of a ship and you could be put off the ship for doing so. Not a good idea at all.

[jessemon]

There have been a few threads recently about whether it is okay to launch a “message in a bottle” off a cruise ship (i.e., is it “littering” or not. If so, is it still okay. If you do it, is plastic potentially more harmful than glass, etc.). I don’t want to reignite that debate, but my son just received an email from a fellow in Cuba who received the message in a bottle we sent from the Conquest in March.

 

We were on the Western Caribbean itinerary from March 22-29. Each night around 10:00 pm, we launched a bottle (by throwing it off our 8th deck balcony) and recorded the position of the launch.

 

We’ve emailed the finder back and asked him to confirm the date on the message he found (each one was uniquely dated). In his original message, he mentioned that he found it April 6 and said that was 10 days after we launched it. That would make it the March 27 bottle, which we launched Friday night, about four hours north after leaving Cozumel, Mexico. The coordinates of the launch were N21 Deg 45’ by W86 Deg 45’.

 

The finder said he found it on a beach called Bailén Beach, which I believe is on the south side of the western tip of Cuba near the town of El Sebalo and is at approximately N22 Deg 10’ by W83 Deg 58’ (which is about 25 miles SW of Pinar del Rio, which itself is about 90 miles SW of Havana).

 

Assuming I have all this info right, the bottle travelled about 200 miles, almost due east, in 10 days (or less, depending on how long it was sitting on the beach before it was found).

 

Now my son and I are both sending message back and forth to this Cuban fellow, but neither of us speaks any Spanish so we’re doing our best with one of those on-line, automatic translators!

Look out...Uncle Sam will prolly have the Feds sitting outside your house and checking you out for subversiveness.......:eek:

Hope you haven't cheated on your taxes lately......:eek:

LOL.....:p

[marilole]

There have been a few threads recently about whether it is okay to launch a “message in a bottle” off a cruise ship (i.e., is it “littering” or not. If so, is it still okay. If you do it, is plastic potentially more harmful than glass, etc.). I don’t want to reignite that debate, but my son just received an email from a fellow in Cuba who received the message in a bottle we sent from the Conquest in March.

 

We were on the Western Caribbean itinerary from March 22-29. Each night around 10:00 pm, we launched a bottle (by throwing it off our 8th deck balcony) and recorded the position of the launch.

 

We’ve emailed the finder back and asked him to confirm the date on the message he found (each one was uniquely dated). In his original message, he mentioned that he found it April 6 and said that was 10 days after we launched it. That would make it the March 27 bottle, which we launched Friday night, about four hours north after leaving Cozumel, Mexico. The coordinates of the launch were N21 Deg 45’ by W86 Deg 45’.

 

The finder said he found it on a beach called Bailén Beach, which I believe is on the south side of the western tip of Cuba near the town of El Sebalo and is at approximately N22 Deg 10’ by W83 Deg 58’ (which is about 25 miles SW of Pinar del Rio, which itself is about 90 miles SW of Havana).

 

Assuming I have all this info right, the bottle travelled about 200 miles, almost due east, in 10 days (or less, depending on how long it was sitting on the beach before it was found).

 

Now my son and I are both sending message back and forth to this Cuban fellow, but neither of us speaks any Spanish so we’re doing our best with one of those on-line, automatic translators!

 

Hi.. I am spanish and I can help u out with your spanish, just let me know what you need to translate and I will help u out.

[crusiegirl99]

That is really cool.:p

[Flynlo]

What size bottles did you use?

[pe4all]

I love how you have made this into an educational experience by charting/recording everything. While some may say littering, etc., I think this is a far cry from the "help - I am stuck on a desert island" stuff. Perhaps throwing it from your 8th deck balcony is a bit chancy (wind blowing it back on board, it hitting someone, etc) but I love the fact you got a reply, you knew the coordinates you had released the bottle from, etc. Thanks for the info - hope you get replies from your other bottles.

[cruisingbajan]

I echo the cool sentiments...:D;)

[PaulMedik]

All I can say is :D

[aggieastrosfan]

8th deck is kinda high to throw it from, but very cool that you got a response!! If I ever do this I may wander down to 3 and chunk it from there instead. :)

[Frank12]

You're not permitted to throw anything off the side of a ship and you could be put off the ship for doing so. Not a good idea at all.

I knew there'd be at least one!:rolleyes:

[mafig]

Boy that was fast!!! Exciting for your son.:)

[babyher]

How exciting for your son. And I agree a great learning experience.

 

My former DW and I and 2 couples we met and hung around with all week on our honeymoon on the Song of America, launched a message in a bottle the last night of our cruise, but never heard from anyone. :(

 

I hope you and your new e mail friend have a great time corresponding.

[floridacruzin]

I knew there'd be at least one!:rolleyes:

 

 

ALWAYS!

 

 

Congrats to you and your son!

 

Very Cool

[Luke gs Daddy]

You're not permitted to throw anything off the side of a ship and you could be put off the ship for doing so. Not a good idea at all.

 

 

 

Lighten Up.:D

[Socref124]

While this might be really cool and a great educational experience for you and your son, imagine if everyone did this. There would be thousands of bottles floating and sinking in the oceans, gulfs, bays and seas every day. This act is polluting the waters:mad:. It's bad enough you can't walk on our beaches and national and state parks without litter, now we won't be able to go diving without encountering litter. There are many reasons why one should not throw objects off a ship and I wish you would be teaching those lessons instead of the lesson you chose to teach (It's OK for us to do this even though it's against the rules).

[momofzeke]

Cool. :cool:

 

Hey, what part of the Pacific Northwest are you from? I am from Oregon, and I always like to see fellow Pacific Northwesters here on the boards. :cool:

[trock]

Very cool!!!!!!!!!!! How awesome for you and your son!

 

Now we know.. it's not littering in this case, but the bottle was found!!

 

SO very cool!

[Upandadam]

Very cool experience for your kid. Thanks for sharing.

[hey,jude]

While this might be really cool and a great educational experience for you and your son, imagine if everyone did this. There would be thousands of bottles floating and sinking in the oceans, gulfs, bays and seas every day. This act is polluting the waters:mad:. It's bad enough you can't walk on our beaches and national and state parks without litter, now we won't be able to go diving without encountering litter. There are many reasons why one should not throw objects off a ship and I wish you would be teaching those lessons instead of the lesson you chose to teach (It's OK for us to do this even though it's against the rules).

Thank You...