There's such a romantic mystique about the message in a bottle. And if you're the sender you probably don't really expect a reply.

But a sailor who tossed one into the Atlantic Ocean did get a response. It just took 34 years and modern-day social media.

AP tells us that when Ron Herbert was 19 and serving in the Navy aboard the USS Coral Sea, he wrote a message detailing the ship's coordinates, along with his name, address and the date. He then tossed the bottle into the water. Less than a year later, a couple found it off the Florida Keys but made no attempt at contact. They just took it home as a vacation souvenir.

And forgot about it. Until recently, when they were packing belonging for a move, and there was the bottle and message within. Using Facebook they were able to track down Mr. Herbert, now 54, who needless to say was stunned.  He hopes Pensacola's Naval Aviation Museum will accept it as a gift and put in on display. But he probably won't bottle-message them about it.

DB

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