Feeling in need of a blustery walk to blow away the New Year's Eve cobwebs and clear our heads, we set off quite late in the afternoon to Cliffe, in Kent for a brisk stroll. It is one of those places which tends to collect a lot of debris on the incoming tide, and so there was always the possibility that I would find a message in a bottle. It was not until the walk back however, when the light was fading rapidly, that I spotted what I thought might be a piece of paper in a light green bottle. The bottle was actually in a field and had obviously landed there after a particularly high tide - or was blown over the river wall by a strong gust of wind. On closer examination, I could see that there was indeed a small piece of folded paper inside. I popped it in my rucksack and took it home to open it over a cup of tea. It's always nice to string out the suspense a bit! sometimes it is just a food wrapper, or a receipt, or even a blank piece of paper....
SOS in a bottle
So, I'm happy to say that indeed it was a message. I was extremely fortunate to be able to read it, as it was very soggy and it took some delicate prodding with a knife to unfold it before it turned into mush. But.... success - and I could just make out the words.
If you're struggling to read the message then here is the translation: "Hi, this is Lisa, Emma, Gemma, Nathan and Michael. We have set sail from Tilbury Docks and we are stuck in the middle of the Thames. Please help us!"
Oh dear! Bit of a dilemma. With it being by now pitch black outside, very windy and stormy, and..... pretty sure that this SOS was sent a considerable time ago, I can only hope - that Lisa, Emma, Gemma, Nathan and Michael made it back ok and that they are not stranded on one of the islands in the Thames, surviving on berries, insects and washed up tins of baked beans etc...! Hopefully they made it back.
If anyone knows them - please ask them to get in touch and put my mind at rest!
As if not, I may have to send out a search party at dawn tomorrow - in the form of David and Mischa in our blow up kayak (although, maybe not a good idea as then we will probably be the ones stranded in the middle of the Thames!).
Oh dear! Bit of a dilemma. With it being by now pitch black outside, very windy and stormy, and..... pretty sure that this SOS was sent a considerable time ago, I can only hope - that Lisa, Emma, Gemma, Nathan and Michael made it back ok and that they are not stranded on one of the islands in the Thames, surviving on berries, insects and washed up tins of baked beans etc...! Hopefully they made it back.
If anyone knows them - please ask them to get in touch and put my mind at rest!
As if not, I may have to send out a search party at dawn tomorrow - in the form of David and Mischa in our blow up kayak (although, maybe not a good idea as then we will probably be the ones stranded in the middle of the Thames!).
Rescue party search for Lisa, Gemma, Emma, Nathan and Michael.
I hope you've all had a super New Year and I wish you all an abundant, happy and peaceful 2015. I look forward to sharing more finds in the weeks to come. Oh, and if you haven't seen this little documentary about my search for messages in bottles, you might enjoy it. The link is here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-28904275
HAPPY NEW YEAR!! XX
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