In 1984, a glass bottle that was washed into the sea for an ocean current survey as part of a high school club activity in Choshi City, Chiba Prefecture, was discovered in Hawaii for the first time in 37 years.



With this as a trigger, new exchanges have begun between high schools and girls who found glass bottles.

This June, an old, muddy glass bottle sandwiched between rocks was discovered on the coast of the Big Island of Hawaii, USA.



In addition to Japanese, the bottle contained a message in English, Portuguese, and French stating, "It was released off the coast of Choshi. If you pick it up, please write the date and time and return it." , There was a shabby reply postcard.



The postcard also stated that in 1984, a student at the Natural Sciences Club of Choshi High School in Chiba Prefecture poured a glass bottle into the sea for the purpose of investigating ocean currents.



Abbey Graham, a 9-year-old girl who lives nearby, sent the postcard back to high school and found out that it was discovered for the first time in 37 years.



According to the high school, glass bottles were released on the Kuroshio Current in the Pacific Ocean with the cooperation of the Japan Coast Guard, and were found one after another not only in Japan such as Kagoshima and Okinawa, but also overseas such as the Philippines and the west coast of the United States. rice field.



However, in 2002, 18 years after the start of the survey, the 50th one was discovered on Kikaijima Island, Kagoshima Prefecture, and the news of the drifting was cut off.



For the first time in 37 years, the event, which was discovered about 6000 kilometers away, was widely reported in a local newspaper as "like a movie plot" and attracted attention.

In an online exchange with Professor Yutaka Michida of the Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute of the University of Tokyo, who is cooperating with the survey, Mr. Abbey said, "It was muddy and dirty, but I was surprised when I found the letter in the bottle. I felt like I found a treasure, "he said.



In the first place, why was a glass bottle found in Hawaii for the first time in 37 years?



Professor Michida said, "It may have taken four to five years to ride the ocean current called the subtropical circulation that travels clockwise in the Pacific Ocean, touring the Northern Hemisphere several times, and finally to Hawaii due to storms and high waves. ".



With this glass bottle as a trigger, new exchanges have begun.



Vice-principal Jun Hayashi, a former club adviser who received the postcard sent back, emailed his father, John Graham.



In this, John wrote, "It was a valuable experience in my daughter's life and a good education."



In addition, the high school students decided to send a letter to Mr. Abbey with a miniature of the big fishing flag, asking him to express his gratitude and to know about Choshi, which is a thriving fishing industry.



Nozomi Hachikaku, a second-year student, said, "I was impressed by the warm response. I want to cherish the ties that connect me over a long distance for the rest of my life."



In addition, Asuka Yamaguchi, a second-year student, said, "When I was able to connect with someone overseas someday, I thought I would learn a language so that I could talk properly."



Currently, due to environmental protection, it is not possible to conduct surveys using these bottles, but this discovery will be reported at the Drifting Material Society to be held next month.