World's oldest message in a bottle found by beachwalker in Australia

[turbinetree]

The world’s oldest message in a bottle has been found on a beach in Western Australia by a couple who thought it might “look good on a bookshelf”.

Tonya Illman found the 132-year-old gin bottle in the dunes near Wedge Island in January. Her husband, Kym Illman, told Guardian Australia she initially thought it was rubbish but picked it up because it had distinct, raised lettering and would be at home on their bookshelf.

Inside, she found a roll of paper printed in German and dated to 12 June 1886, which was authenticated by the Western Australian Museum.

“It was an absolute fluke. It won’t get better than than this,” said husband Kym Illman.

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/mar/06/worlds-oldest-message-bottle-western-australia-wedge-island

[PatSeg]

1. Very cool!

[njhoneybadger]

2. I'm here because my Grandmother put a message in a bottle.

She tossed in the Monongahela River in WV and my grandfather fished it out in Pittsburgh.
Strange that the river runs south to north.

[turbinetree]

4. Very cool...............

[Buns_of_Fire]

3. "Please note Latitude and Longitude where this bottle is found."

P.S. Send more gin.

[malaise]

5. Great find

Rec

[Dennis Donovan]

6. Did the message say "rescue me before I fall into despair-o"?

Very cool story!!

[rickford66]

7. Also a huge fad in the 1800's due to an Edgar Allen Poe story

[Nitram]

8. Wow!

[Botany]

9. They will have to use google to find the ship's German Captain so they can send it back.

He added: “I have a basic understanding of German and it said could the finder
please plot the coordinates it was found, and the date it was found, and send it back.”

[Bucky]

10. a bottle of gin and bittes