Overview

• Harrison Mizen, 8, launched the note in an old rum bottle from Sandhaven beach in South Shields on January 21 after a school lesson.
• A postcard featuring Gros Islet and stamped September 8 reached his home on September 23, confirming a reply from the Caribbean island.
• The anonymous writer said they found the bottle while fishing with their dad and that it had been caught on nets.
• The journey from northeast England to St Lucia covered an estimated 4,000–4,200 miles over about eight months.
• Harrison took the reply to school for show-and-tell as his family said they had not expected the bottle to travel beyond local shores.