Message in a Bottle Found: Seeking Ray From Philadelphia, Carnival Conquest, May 2014

[Clintelby]

You advocate keeping plastic out of the ocean, yet defend the practice of plastic pollution? Seems like advocating for newspaper recycling by tossing newspapers in the wind. Illogical.

 

Remember: I don't SEND messages in bottles. I pick them up. Along with other litter, by the way.

[kmilanes]

What would be an "appropriate" shore excursion for polluting? Regardless of whether it is done from a ship or shore, plastic pollution in the ocean is a crime. Sorry, I've worked 42 years at sea, and seen the effects of all kinds of pollution in all of the world's oceans, and I detest it, and welcome all efforts by the world's governments in preventing it.

 

 

 

Stop driving your car. You are creating global warming and killing our trees. I have been driving for 20 years and now I am experiencing high temperatures in January.

 

On another note, I lost my friend Wilson at sea. If you see him he is round and white.

 

 

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[Clintelby]

Ah. Nevermind.

Edited April 1, 2017 by Clintelby
Not getting through.

[kmilanes]

It amazes me to see these attacks on environmentalist grounds from people who cruise, considering cruise ships are immensely damaging to our environment both in terms of the vast quantities of fossil fuels they consume, but also because of the long history of cruise ships actually dumping passengers' waste at sea. Maybe let's not throw the first stone, hey?

 

 

 

It's not ok with me that you are actually trying to do something good and you get trolled.

 

People need to understand, as myself, that if you have nothing to comment to help then keep it moving and scroll to the next post.

 

To start lashing out saying to report someone to the government, etc, etc. is just so childish.

 

Do you know how many times I see kids throw things overboard? How many times adults flick cigarette butts over the side of their balconies?

 

All we can do is educate and keep it moving.

 

Ray could be 18-19 years old and just trying to have fun or even a kid of 5 years old just trying to experience a message in a bottle experiment that he learned in school that his parents helped in participate.

 

It doesn't mean he threw it overboard as I have never seen Gatorade bottles on board. He could have been on a beach and let it loose in the ocean.

 

People are so quick to attack others good hearted experiments.

 

 

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[Clintelby]

It's not ok with me that you are actually trying to do something good and you get trolled.

 

People need to understand, as myself, that if you have nothing to comment to help then keep it moving and scroll to the next post.

 

To start lashing out saying to report someone to the government, etc, etc. is just so childish.

 

Do you know how many times I see kids throw things overboard? How many times adults flick cigarette butts over the side of their balconies?

 

All we can do is educate and keep it moving.

 

Ray could be 18-19 years old and just trying to have fun or even a kid of 5 years old just trying to experience a message in a bottle experiment that he learned in school that his parents helped in participate.

 

It doesn't mean he threw it overboard as I have never seen Gatorade bottles on board. He could have been on a beach and let it loose in the ocean.

 

People are so quick to attack others good hearted experiments.

 

 

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Agreed! I'm just trying to share a fun story here and use it as an opportunity to raise awareness about plastic pollution. I'm blown away by how quick people here are to judge Ray on ONE action. How many of us would want to be judged by a single action? Thanks for the support and the reminder to be kind! :D

[Organized Chaos]

:rolleyes: Eat a snickers bar.

Four simple words. Put them together and they become the funniest post I read today. Thank you. :D

 

I just don't understand the line of thought that goes, "Attacking Ray is a good thing! It will prevent future pollution!" In my experience as an educator, attacks do little to encourage positive behavior change.

I'm blown away by how quick people here are to judge Ray on ONE action. How many of us would want to be judged by a single action?

Welcome to the internet.

 

I guarantee all of the "holier than thou" folks attacking Ray have contributed to pollution in some form. There's a very good chance they all drive. Maybe tossed a piece of trash on the ground. If any of them are smokers, can they honestly say they've always disposed of their cigarette butts in a proper receptacle? But by all means, let's keep attacking Ray, some guy none of you know, for one small thing he did 3 years ago.

[MCAT48]

People have been sending messages in bottles for over 100 years now. It's not something new. I'm embarrassed to say when I first saw this on a post on Facebook I wrote try Cruise Critic forums as a response now seeing some posts. There is no reason to turn something positive into a negative so quickly. I forgot this forum is more Critic than anything.

 

 

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[pe4all]

I hope you find Ray, and thank you for cleaning up litter as you do!

[threadcrapper]

Try reddit.com they have a great track record of locating crazy connections.

[ja_martin]

When you find Ray, please give his particulars to Carnival and the government of the island you found the bottle on, so that they can fine him $5000 for throwing plastic overboard. It's bad enough when people think it's fine to throw a glass bottle in the ocean, but plastic is just criminal.

 

Pretty much exactly what I was thinking. If anyone actually watched plastic items being pulled from the throat of marine life, I'm pretty sure they would think twice about throwing this stuff overboard. Unfortunately, I'm not convinced that any of the cruise lines really care as much as they say they do.

[Jamericannn]

I love to see posts like this that turns into a debate. Makes the reading more exciting.

[kmilanes]

I love to see posts like this that turns into a debate. Makes the reading more exciting.

 

 

 

Lol you are guilty of throwing plastic bottles into the ocean likes throw stones and put you in jail

 

 

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[AmazedByCruising]

When you find Ray, please give his particulars to Carnival and the government of the island you found the bottle on, so that they can fine him $5000 for throwing plastic overboard. It's bad enough when people think it's fine to throw a glass bottle in the ocean, but plastic is just criminal.

 

My best friend wouldn't exist if his Dutch father wouldn't have found the message in a bottle his Danish wife threw into the sea. True story. As this must have happened at least 9 months before 1972, it was probably a glass bottle.

 

Throwing plastic bottles into the ocean is really nothing compared to the millions of tons of plastic ending up in the oceans. http://science.sciencemag.org/content/347/6223/768 . Two deck chairs falling into the sea because of a rogue wave probably contain more plastic than all messages in a bottle sent out in a decade. Messages in a bottle are not the problem. If the ships would "compensate" by giving money to initiatives like https://www.theoceancleanup.com/ , similar to CO2 rights, throwing out messages in a bottle could be a fun activity similar to bingo, and the oceans would likely be better off.

[Clintelby]

My best friend wouldn't exist if his Dutch father wouldn't have found the message in a bottle his Danish wife threw into the sea. True story. As this must have happened at least 9 months before 1972, it was probably a glass bottle.

 

Throwing plastic bottles into the ocean is really nothing compared to the millions of tons of plastic ending up in the oceans. http://science.sciencemag.org/content/347/6223/768 . Two deck chairs falling into the sea because of a rogue wave probably contain more plastic than all messages in a bottle sent out in a decade. Messages in a bottle are not the problem. If the ships would "compensate" by giving money to initiatives like https://www.theoceancleanup.com/ , similar to CO2 rights, throwing out messages in a bottle could be a fun activity similar to bingo, and the oceans would likely be better off.

 

I thoroughly agree. People often "scapegoat" messages in bottles, when the true threats to marine life are far larger, more widespread, and more serious. Thanks for the links and for the encouragement to help in the fight against plastic pollution--we can all lend a hand in this endeavor! Plastic is a problem we CAN fix, but only by working together.

 

As a sidenote, I would love to speak with you and your friend about his parents' message in a bottle! Would it be all right to friend request / PM you? Or you / your friend could drop me a line here: https://messageinabottlehunter.com/contact/

[Sitzmark]

 

Throwing plastic bottles into the ocean is really nothing compared to the millions of tons of plastic ending up in the ocean

 

No one drop is responsible for the flood.

 

I can't clean the world but when I venture out in my kayak I always have an onion sack tied to my deck so that I can pick up the junk that others drop. I don't kid myself into thinking I'm curing the problem, but at least I'm not contributing to it.

[drvmywifecrzy]

If you Google people who have gone overboard on Carnival you will see Ray was one of those. He did not litter rather after drinking the last of his water in order to survive he removed the label and using his own blood wrote a note to aid in his rescue.

[pe4all]

I remember the days when I first began cruising (almost 33 years ago) and I watched the crew throwing large black garbage bags off the aft of the ship! Hundreds of bags, just forming a line along the wake we left! That is how they used to dispose of garbage - knowing it was illegal, but doing it anyway. I actually reported the ship to the EPA - nothing came of it. Was told almost all the ships got rid of their garbage that way. Luckily we have become "smarter" as our earth grows older!

[moonvine]

I found a message in a bottle sent by someone named Ray from Philadelphia. I couldn't make out the phone number, so I am asking for help with spreading the word here. Finding messages in bottles is my hobby, and I wrote about Ray's message on my blog, where I have included all the photos and info I currently have--which is pretty much included in the title above: Click here to see Ray's message and help spread the word!

 

Thanks!

 

Clint

 

How exciting! I shared your facebook post. I hope you find him!

[chengkp75]

I remember the days when I first began cruising (almost 33 years ago) and I watched the crew throwing large black garbage bags off the aft of the ship! Hundreds of bags, just forming a line along the wake we left! That is how they used to dispose of garbage - knowing it was illegal, but doing it anyway. I actually reported the ship to the EPA - nothing came of it. Was told almost all the ships got rid of their garbage that way. Luckily we have become "smarter" as our earth grows older!

 

You were actually on the cusp of the laws regulating pollution by garbage at the time you mention. While the US enacted the "Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships", which codified the provisions of the MARPOL 73/78 convention, it only applied to US waters. MARPOL 73/78, the IMO convention that regulates ocean pollution in all forms (garbage, oil, sewage, air) was signed by the IMO in 1973, but did not come into force until ratified by the requisite number of nations, which did not happen until 1983, and Annex IV, which regulates the disposal of garbage did not come into force until December 1988. Your time frame of almost 33 years ago (1984) means that the convention had just entered into force, but only Annex I regulating oil pollution. So, while deplorable, and considered to be acceptable at the time, it was legal to dump this. Over the years, the amendments to MARPOL have gotten tighter, to the point where the only thing allowed to be dumped overboard, anywhere in the world is food waste. I live by the MARPOL regulations every working day of my life, and while it certainly makes things much tougher than in the "old days", I applaud each and every advance that the IMO takes.

[Thorncroft]

Well, this thread turned into a buzz kill, fast like. LOL. OP, hope you find Ray. He'll undoubtedly be thrilled.

Edited April 1, 2017 by Thorncroft

[sjn911]

Well, this thread turned into a buzz kill, fast like. LOL. OP, hope you find Ray. He'll undoubtedly be thrilled.

 

I can not believe I have been at these boards as long as I have...but way back between now and January 2009, there was a long one just debating plastic bottles over glass ones and the simple joy of doing it...the romance.

 

I get the OP; and the wonder of it all; and being a teacher. I have wonderful teachers in my group.

 

One was my mom and so sad I never got to cruise with her. She passed 2012 and ended her teaching career in a horrible way by a home made instrument she taught having a nail fail and hit a kid in the eye...a law suit..and a lot of pain and noboby was a better teacher or felt more horrible for her mistake. In this debate the real the pain is less direct.

 

I also get Cheng...you just can not understand the loyalty or love of a place and the difficulty in protecting it. If you work on or with nature in any way it is so tough. Dad was a rancher, the history of the homesteads that put that ranch together originally and leaving it better than he found it meant everything and he did. He could not live there until death there as only ways to survive our era not inheriting or being uber wealthy was to do it for 20 years and then sell...sadly before the big raise in the value of land there, 5 more years of doing it and then selling just a part he could have died there; BUT..defeating the purpose of open land leaving it a carefully ranched place. As well as not finding death too early. He did not want the nature conservancy route.

 

We all are stewards here with slightly different visions of best use and moving forward, here we have two very wonderful parties having similar goals in an imperfect line of perfection.

 

Way better than the plastic or glass thread of many moons ago...

 

Dad was able to stay around longer than mom with a pacemaker they both got a same time and they both enjoyed 5 acres and mountain views in the end for retirement a few hrs east with closer neighbors. At almost 82 as a solo unit he stayed and we are always fighting best use of land with 3 to 5 big animal units as grandchildren and his adventures come and go. He finally allowed help trimming 5 horses feet with his grandson, a precious thing. Face to face I am sure Cheng and OP can work out understanding if not total agreement by focusing on what they care about. It is how a small community of hard headed cowboys and ranch owners worked it out before more and more corporate or pleasure ranchers took over.

 

I love the mystery,,,terribly romantic in a different wonderful way that can lend to so much better..good luck op. God uses all our mistakes and personalities.

Edited April 1, 2017 by sjn911

[AmazedByCruising]

No one drop is responsible for the flood.

 

I can't clean the world but when I venture out in my kayak I always have an onion sack tied to my deck so that I can pick up the junk that others drop. I don't kid myself into thinking I'm curing the problem, but at least I'm not contributing to it.

 

In my view, throwing out a message in a bottle, hoping someone will read it and get in touch is one of the better gimmicks of life. The other side is that simply eating fish leads to lost fishing nets physically killing marine life, which among many others are the unseen buckets added to the flood. The messages in a bottle are very visible, but at the same time the very last problem oceans probably care about.

[Sitzmark]

In my view, throwing out a message in a bottle, hoping someone will read it and get in touch is one of the better gimmicks of life. The other side is that simply eating fish leads to lost fishing nets physically killing marine life, which among many others are the unseen buckets added to the flood. The messages in a bottle are very visible, but at the same time the very last problem oceans probably care about.

 

I don't eat fish either. But that is not out of a moral objection.

 

Things may get lost in the waters, but there is a difference between accidental loss and deliberate pollution.

[dsnutz]

All of y'all b*tching about someone throwing a bottle with a message out to sea are what is wrong with society today. You environmentalist boo-hoo'ers should all be put in a watch list for pooping on parties. Go back to your safe space and wait on Carl Sagan to call up your comet home; don't forget your ChuckTaylors :eek:;p:')

[mariefisher]

I find this really funny, aren't we talking about a message in a bottle. I hope you find Ray, but I doubt he will come forward because he could end up in jail and broke. This is unreal.