Rebecca Manzi Joe Johnson threw a bottle of wine from Rio de Janeiro: it was found 16 years later 13,000 km away on the beach in Peterborough, Australia
@Chris van Kempen
In 2008, Joe Johnson, an adventurous traveler from the United States, launched a wine bottle into the sea from a beach near Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Inside the bottle was a message. Sixteen years later, the same bottle washed ashore on a beach in Peterborough, Australia, over 8,000 miles (13,000 km) away.
It had covered itself with barnacles, until the bottle attracted the attention of a local resident-never to think that this might be a story behind an amazing find. The note inside was in English; it explained Johnson’s plans-to test ocean currents and get in contact with whom it may concern:
“Well done! Your curiosity has paid off. Thanks for picking up this bottle and taking the time to find out what was inside it. I have cast bottles like this into various parts of the world’s oceans in the hope that individuals like yourself would find them and return them to me here in the United States.
I launched this bottle into the Atlantic Ocean on November 30, 2008, about 50 miles (80 km) east of Salvador, Brazil. I would be most grateful if you could write and let me know just how far and for what duration this bottle has travelled. To make your entry all the more worth your while, I will send $20 with thanks upon receipt of this note. Please include your name and address. Thank you very much for participating in my experiment; I look forward to hearing the details of how you found this note.”
Joe Johnson later spoke to ABC Radio Melbourne about the find:
“My wife and I have taken many cruises. I don’t remember this particular bottle, but it is just fantastic to think it’s turned up in Australia.”
Who’s thinking about the health of our oceans?
The find sparked excitement among locals and online, with many curious to see if Johnson would send the $20 reward he promised. A simple act like tossing a bottle into the ocean had turned into an intercontinental adventure, connecting strangers across the globe.
However, the environmental implications cannot be overlooked. Johnson admitted to throwing multiple bottles into the ocean over the years. While his experiment to observe ocean currents and the journey of objects through time and space is fascinating, it also raises concerns about marine pollution.
The hidden costs of ocean waste
Trash in the ocean, or even worse, deliberately thrown, is an acute danger for ecosystems. Materials such as glass, plastic, and metal do not break down easily and can remain whole for decades or even centuries, as this bottle testifies, found 16 years after it was thrown into the sea.
Glass bottles like this might appear harmless, but they add to the millions of tons of waste entering the oceans every year. This pollution not only harms marine wildlife through entanglement or ingestion of debris but also endangers human health by contaminating the food chain. The ocean is a common heritage and key to the future of our planet. It should not be used to satisfy transient curiosities.
Source: Facebook
