Searching for Messages in bottles - Hunting for the Words of Strangers)
During my mudlarking expeditions along the River Thames, and beachcombing trips along the Thames Estuary it is not only ancient history that is to be found. There is a lot of plastic pollution and rubbish to be found in the River Thames and the Thames Estuary and during these trips, I always try to collect at least 2 bags of rubbish, mostly plastic waste, to take away with me. Sometimes, amongst the rubbish I find the unexpected - and I have now collected well over 130 messages in bottles.
In September 2014, BBC Video Journalist Tom J Beal came with me on a beachcombing trip and we searched for messages in bottles. Tom has kindly allowed me to repost the video here.
I also have written a "behind the scenes" about the day we filmed - and you can find that here:-
http://www.tidelineart.com/message-in...
Message in a bottle: Hunting for the words of strangers
People have been releasing messages in bottles into the sea for centuries.
Cries for help, hopes and dreams, and greetings from one country to another have all been cast into the water for someone else to find.
Nicola White found her first message in a bottle by chance in the River Thames in 2011. She then started hunting for them and has gone on to find more than 30. (***update - have now find more than 130)
The messages have included an appeal for a job, declarations of love and gems of wisdom.
Nicola also sends her own messages in bottles and encourages people to use a glass bottle because it is "better for the environment".
BBC News joined Nicola as she went hunting for more words from the water, to discover why she does it.
Video journalist: Tom Beal
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/magazine...
This video was first posted by the BBC and was filmed and edited by video journalist Tom J Beal. Do pop on over to Tom's youtube channel to see more of his exploits:-
/ @tomjbeal