Coley’s Point Coke bottle connects three countries

By Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Olivia Bradbury

The Road to Yesterday Museum in Bay Roberts recently presented an exhibit about a message in a bottle that survived a transatlantic journey.

On September 17, 1979, Coley’s Point resident Lewis Cranford placed a message in a bottle asking that, if it was found by someone outside the Trinity Bay area, to contact him. He included information about how to reach him and then tossed the glass Coca Cola bottle adrift in the ocean.

Cranford’s bottle was found just 10 months later on July 25, 1980. It had travelled across the ocean and washed up on a rocky beach in County Kerry, Ireland. It was found by a Belgian family from Antwerp who were in Ireland on vacation. The finders included Luc Hainaut, his sister Suzy Bruwier, and her husband, Guy Bruwier.

Hainaut wrote a letter in reply to Cranford on December 11, 1980, including with it a couple of photos of the beach where they found the bottle. Hainaut remarked on the good condition the bottle had been in despite having made such a long trip. He shared some information about himself, his sister, and his brother-in-law, including their ages and occupations.

Cranford sent a letter back to the family, and they replied once again on March 16, 1981, this time sending Cranford a photo of themselves. In this letter, Hainaut told Cranford his sister and brother-in-law had visited Canada, specifically British Columbia and Yukon, and were “very surprised at the gentleness of the Canadian People.” He also told Cranford about his home country of Belgium, including details such as its size, population, capital, and official languages.

Photocopies of the letters and a replica of the bottle was put together as an exhibit by the Museum’s summer student employees Callie Seymour and Nicole Mercer. It also includes the photos sent to Cranford by Hainaut and the Bruwiers.