French fisherman unearths 1997 message in a bottle from Cape Cod student

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WASHINGTON, Nov 13, (Agencies): On Aug 11, 71-year-old French fisherman Hubert Eriau made a fascinating discovery on the shores of Les Sables-d’Olonne, Vendée—a message in a bottle that had traveled across the Atlantic Ocean for 26 years. The bottle, part of a school project initiated by retired Forestdale science teacher Frederic J. Hemmila, was originally tossed into Nantucket Sound in October 1997 by Ben Lyons, then a 5th-grade student at the Forestdale School in Sandwich, Mass.

The science project aimed to explore ocean currents, and as a concluding activity, students placed messages in bottles that were released into the ocean by a friend of Hemmila’s, a boat captain. Eriau, while cleaning the beach, stumbled upon Lyons’ bottle, which was tightly sealed with wax. Despite initial difficulty opening it, Eriau eventually accessed the letter.

Lyons, now in his 30s and residing out of state, was reached through a response letter from Eriau that recently arrived at Oak Ridge School in Sandwich’s public school district. The school staff, initially searching for Lyons, felt they had discovered a treasure when they found the letter from the French gentleman dated back to 1997.

According to Assistant Principal Brandy Clifford, Eriau’s response detailed his beach cleaning efforts and the challenges faced in opening the securely sealed bottle. Lyons’ family, expressing joy at the interest the discovery generated, stated, “It’s great the kids can learn about the oceans and currents from this. Showing what a small world it actually is.” This unique connection, spanning across decades and continents, highlights the unexpected educational and cultural impact of a simple science project initiated years ago.

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