A 42-year-old message in a bottle containing a rare two-dollar bill featuring a young Queen Elizabeth II has been discovered on remote Sable Island, offering a glimpse into maritime life from the Reagan era.
Key Takeaways
- An archaeology technician discovered a gin bottle from 1983 containing a partially dissolved letter and a rare 1974 Canadian two-dollar bill on Sable Island.
- The message originated from crew members aboard the British supply ship “Wimpey Sea Hunter” during operations near the remote Canadian island.
- The bottle was sealed with electrical tape, preserving its contents for 42 years before being discovered.
- The artifact has been sent to Parks Canada archives for further study and preservation as part of maritime history.
- Sable Island regularly collects oceanic debris, with message bottles typically discovered about once per year.
Historic Maritime Message Discovered
Sable Island National Park Reserve announced on Facebook that archaeology technician Mark Doucette from Potlotek First Nation made the remarkable discovery on the windswept shores of the remote Canadian island located approximately 300 kilometers southeast of Halifax. The message, sent to sea on January 14, 1983, had been drifting in ocean currents for over four decades before washing ashore on the island’s northern coast, which serves as a natural catchment area for oceanic debris. Park officials were able to determine that the bottle originated from a British supply vessel that was operating in the vicinity of Sable Island at the time.
“The message is very faded, but we could make out that the bottle was sent to sea Jan. 14, 1983, from a resupply ship operating near Sable Island,” said representatives from Sable Island National Park Reserve.
Gin Bottle Preserves Maritime Artifacts
The vessel itself was identified as a Gordon’s gin bottle, remarkably intact despite decades of exposure to ocean elements, though its glass surface showed signs of natural sandblasting from years at sea. Park officials noted the bottle had been carefully sealed with electrical tape, which helped preserve its contents through more than four decades of ocean travel. Upon opening the bottle, researchers were greeted with an unmistakable aroma that had persisted through the decades and had partially affected the message inside.
“Well, first off, you could still smell the gin!” said Jennifer Nicholson.
The gin had dissolved some of the ink on the letter, making it initially difficult to decipher. However, as the paper dried, impressions from the pen became more visible, allowing researchers to gradually piece together information about its origins. Despite the faded condition, they were able to determine the ship’s name and gather other crucial details about the sailors who cast this message into the sea during the early 1980s.
British Supply Ship Identified
Through careful examination of the partially dissolved letter, researchers were able to identify the vessel as the Wimpey Sea Hunter, a British supply ship built in 1982 that was likely servicing offshore oil and gas platforms in the region. The letter listed crew names, though attempts to track down these individuals have not yet been successful. The message represented a common maritime tradition of leaving messages in bottles, a practice that continues to provide fascinating historical connections across decades.
“It was a little hard to make out the ship’s name at first. You could tell it ended with ‘Sea Hunter,'” explained Jennifer Nicholson.
According to Sarah Medill, who helped examine the artifact, the note stated: “We’re from the crew of the Wimpy Seahunter supply ship” and included a “Congratulations” to whoever found the bottle.
Rare Canadian Currency Preserved
Perhaps the most intriguing component of the discovery was a well-preserved Canadian two-dollar bill from 1974 featuring a younger Queen Elizabeth II. This particular piece of currency represents a tangible piece of Canadian monetary history, as the two-dollar bill was replaced by a coin in 1996. The discovery was so unusual that some younger park staff members had never actually seen this obsolete currency before, making it both a monetary and historical artifact of significance.
The bottle and its contents have now been sent to Parks Canada archives for further study and preservation. This discovery joins a collection of similar finds from Sable Island, where messages in bottles typically appear about once a year. The oldest such message discovered by colleagues in the region reportedly dated back to the 1930s, highlighting the island’s ongoing role as a repository of maritime history and communication across the decades.
