1983 Message in a Bottle Washes Up on Sable Island with Gin-Soaked History

A weathered bottle, cast into the sea in 1983, recently washed ashore on a remote Canadian island, carrying a faint but fascinating glimpse into the past. Discovered by Mark Doucette, an archaeology technician from the Potlotek First Nation, the bottle was found on Sable Island, a windswept speck off Nova Scotia’s coast, as announced by the Sable Island National Park Reserve on May 23.

The bottle, still reeking of gin after four decades, held a damp, faded letter dated January 14, 1983, from a resupply ship named the Wimpey Sea Hunter. The ink, partially dissolved by the liquor, revealed just enough to piece together its origins—a British vessel built in 1982. The letter bore crew names, though efforts to track them down have so far come up empty. Tucked inside was a 1974 Canadian two-dollar bill, a relic featuring a young Queen Elizabeth, now a curiosity for park staff too young to remember the discontinued currency.

Jennifer Nicholson of Parks Canada described the find’s distinct aroma: “The gin’s scent hit us first—it’s lingered for 40 years!” As the letter dried, pen impressions clarified the message, offering a tangible link to a bygone era. Such discoveries aren’t rare here; Sable’s shores collect about one message in a bottle annually, some dating back to the 1930s. From TVs to French pill containers, the island’s beaches are a museum of flotsam.

This bottle, now preserved in Parks Canada’s archives, joins a global tradition of time-traveling messages. It’s a reminder that even in our digital age, the ocean still delivers handwritten stories from decades past.