Worthing boy’s message in a bottle brings luck to spearfisherman in beach paradise
An eight-year-old Worthing boy was thrilled to learn his holiday message in a bottle brought luck to a man spearfishing off the coast of the Mexican Caribbean.
Michael Andreas caught a huge grouper just after he found the bottle that had been dropped in the Caribbean Sea thousands of mile away by eight-year-old Harry Harvey.
It was an exciting day for Harry, a fishing trip while on his first family holiday in April. He made a message in a bottle while he was in Barbados, just for fun, in the hope that someone would find it.
Harry wrote: "I am an 8 year old boy on my first family holiday. We are staying in Maxwell Beach, Barbados. We are going on a fishing trip today and I will drop my bottle into the sea. I really, really hope someone finds this one day and lets me know where it ended up. This will make me so so happy for someone to read this. I am sending love and wishes."
Six months later, the message in a bottle was found in a beach paradise, having travelled thousands of miles west through the Caribbean Sea.
Dad David Harvey said: "We still can’t get over how lucky he was that someone found this and replied to the message. This will be a memory that lasts for ever for Harry.
"Harry was so happy and couldn’t believe it. We were all in shock at how such a small bottle in a large ocean could travel that far and be found in the middle of the ocean 3,000 miles away, exactly six months later.
"We were amazed that the fisherman in Mexico got in touch and I’m sure Harry has gained a new pen pal for life."
Michael sent Harry a picture of the fish he caught and shared his delight at finding the message.
Michael said: "I was spearfishing today off the coast of the Mexican Caribbean when I found your bottle off the coast of Puerto Aventuras, Quintana Roo, Mexico!
"I was so pleased to receive your message as it was the first I've ever found in my lifetime! Can you imagine how far your bottle travelled? All the way from Barbados. Wow!
"I send you this message to let you know I found it and much love in return! Your bottle brought me luck in my fishing. I caught a huge grouper right after finding the bottle! I will keep the bottle and the letter as great souvenir! Thank you again!"