A message in a bottle from a couple married in Poulsbo in 2013 found its way to the shores of the Pacific Rim National Park in Canada.
Markus Rannala was walking along Wickaninnish Beach on Vancouver Island last fall when he came across the message in a bottle.
“It was put in the water in what I believe was the Roche Harbor in the San Juan Islands in 2013 by a couple who were married in Poulsbo. Before I picked it up, there were like five other people who had picked it up and added to the message. Most of them were folks on fishing boats, but one was from someone at Neah Bay,” Rannala said.
The original message identifies the couple as Josie and Jared McKay and provides an email address. Rannala has tried to reach out to the couple but hasn’t received any responses. The North Kitsap Herald hasn’t been able to find them either.
“I’ve tried a couple of times, and I’m pretty sure my messages are just going into the junk mail. I tried searching online on Facebook and Linkedin and stuff and was not able to find them. I’m hoping that someone in Poulsbo knows who they are and can contact them,” Rannala said.
The original note appears to have been written by Josie McKay. It reads: “We are on our honeymoon. We got married on Aug. 17, 2013, in Poulsbo, WA. We honeymooned at Roche and Friday Harbor, WA. My husband and I hope someone else finds this bottle and enjoys the adventure. Please contact us via email, we would love to hear from you!”
Most of the messages from others who have picked up the message congratulated the couple on their marriage and say where they found the bottle.
“What a cool idea! Congrats to you both! We fished this bottle out of the blue at Port Renfrew (west of Victoria), Sunday, Sept. 1, 2013. First thing to come aboard in the net, maybe this will bring us luck!” one message says.
Many of the messages were from late 2013, with Rannala’s being the most recent from the fall of 2020.
“Found! Buried in the sand at Wick Beach. Copies made and sent to the (presumably) happy couple. I have given the original to a Skipper to be dropped offshore and continue on its way,” Rannala wrote.
Thanks to the efforts of the public, reporters with the North Kitsap Herald were able to contact the couple from the message in the bottle, and sadly they are no longer together.
