Time and distance Message in a bottle

1973, dean f. bumpus, senior scientist

woods hole oceanographic inst.

floating objects may ride gyres (large circulating current systems) present in each ocean, , may transferred 1 ocean s gyre s. further, objects may sidetracked wind, storms, countercurrents, , ocean current variation. accordingly, drift bottles have traveled large distances, drifts of 4,000 6,000 miles , more—sometimes traveling 100 miles per day—not uncommon. bottles have traveled beaufort sea above northern alaska , northwestern canada northern europe; antarctica tasmania; mexico philippines; canada s labrador sea , baffin bay irish, french, scottish, , norwegian beaches; , galapagos islands australia. based on empirical data collected since 1901, computer program called oscurs (ocean surface current simulator) digitally simulates motion , timing of floating objects in , between ocean gyres.

despite being launched substantial time periods before being found, bottles have been found physically close original launch points, such message launched 2 girls in 1915 , found in 2012 near harsens island, michigan, u.s., , ten-year-old girl s message launched indian river bay in delaware, u.s. in 1971 , found in adjacent delaware seashore state park in 2016.