A message in a bottle that traveled over 1,500 nautical miles for eight years was discovered, connecting an Australian hiking group with three Bay Area women.
During a recent beach cleanup, hikers in Townsville, Australia, found a bottle they first believed to be trash. They put it in their backpack and opened it once they reached their car.
To their surprise, the message inside was legible and read, “Dear reader, we wrote this note because we heard so many stories about doing this. We’re leaving Navini today at 5:00 Fijian time so please write back to York Town Drive Sunnyvale, CA.” It was dated July 2016 and signed by “Savannah, Kate, and Janice."
Members of Townsville Hike and Explore began their search for the three California women through social media and local news outlets but the Sunnyvale home referenced in the note had been sold in 2018.
“It’s like a treasure hunt, it’s very exciting,” said Susie Bidgood, who’s part of the Townsville Hike and Explore.
NBC Bay Area searched and successfully located Savannah Green, Janice Pierce and Kate Bonhan, the women responsible for the letter. Green recalls writing the note on her first trip to Fiji when she was just 10 years old. The Sunnyvale address was her childhood home.
“I just think we’re so lucky and I think I’m really happy for my 10-year-old self that that happened. Something so cool, I feel like I’m in a movie,” Green said.
The trio was visiting Navini, an island in Fijo, located some 1,900 nautical miles away from Townsville, Australia.
Upon finding the letter, Bidgood said the group posted it on Instagram in an effort to connect with its author. An Australian media outlet then picked up the story that went viral.
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The hikers and trio were able to connect online and said they are now planning on meeting in the same spot where the bottle landed.
“Everyone in the world is so disconnected and I guess seeing something that connected me way back eight years ago to these people in Australia, seeing that the bottle had survived those eight years was kind of amazing,” Green said.
Sandra Lamari, one of the Australian hikers, added that this bit of positivity is what the world needs.
“This is really what the whole world needs right now—a little bit of positivity. A little bit of friendship across the whole globe,” Lamari said.
