Harold Hackett Receives Thousands of Replies to Messages in Bottles

Harold Hackett has sent out close to 5,000 messages in bottles, and has received replies to more than 3,000 of them.

By Kathryn Hawkins. Posted on October 02 2011

Harold Hackett has over 3,100 pen pals—but instead of using email or even snail mail, Hackett uses a much older method of communication: messages in bottles.

Hackett, a 58-year-old man from Prince Edward Island, has thrown 4,871 messages in bottles into the Atlantic Ocean since he started the unique hobby in 1996. Some of his messages have taken a while to find a receiver, but he’s obviously made plenty of connections: He’s received more than 3,100 letters in response to his messages.

Some of his bottles have traveled as far as the Bahamas and Africa, and have taken years to wash ashore. Hackett enjoys finding out where all of his bottles end up, and has even struck up friendships with many of the bottle recipients: He now receives at least 150 Christmas cards each year from the people he’s connected with through his bottles.

Keep an eye out for bottles next time you visit a beach—Hackett’s still busy sending out his missives and hoping to reach new friends across the world. “I’m gonna go as long as I can,” he told the BBC.

Watch the fascinating video documentary about him here.

Filed under: Weird,

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