SSILB - Message in a Bottle, In Memory of Robbie Day

Описание: Sandown & Shanklin Independent Lifeboat finds a message in a bottle

Whilst out on training experience on Sunday the 29th of September 2013, at around 13:45, the crew on-board spotted a floating bottle, just a quarter of a mile off of Luccombe Bay, normally the Lifeboat would just continue passed small debris in the water and continue to the destination for training.
As the Lifeboat was close to the bottle as it passed, the Coxswain spotted something inside the bottle and it intrigued him enough to turning the Lifeboat around to investigate, placing the Lifeboat closer and confirmed that there was an object in the bottle.
Requesting one of the crew members to recover the bottle, the Coxswain positioned the Lifeboat and the crew members scooped the bottle from the water and passed it to the Coxswain.
It was clear that there was in fact a message inside, opening the bottle to see what was inside, the crew were pleased to see it was in fact a message, a heartfelt memory from a family about a loved one (please see attached photo below) Robbie Michael Day must have been very special to all of his family and all that knew him.

On returning to the Lifeboat Station, the Lifeboat Operations Manager was informed and agreed for the family to be contacted.

SSILB 2nd Coxswain contacted the family with the e-mail address provided on the message, detailing where the bottle had been found and passed on the stations sympathy to the family.

On the 15th of October 2013 an e-mail was received by Natasha Day, Robbie's sister, she wrote:

'Many thanks for replying to the message in a bottle. Reading your e mail brought me to tears but in a good way. I am so pleased the Lifeboat turned around to investigate the bottle. It was my mother's idea to send the bottles out. It has been very hard to lift her spirits and whenever I get a reply I cannot wait to tell her. So far we have reached Germany, France and now of course The Isle of Wight. The bottle you found was sent from Scotland, Fort William, due to different versions being sent out from Dorset and Cornwall. My little brother was an amazing funny guy and he was taken far too young. He was only 35 and he had such a zest for life and having fun. We all miss him greatly. It would be great if you could place the bottle back in the sea. Again many, many thanks for your e-mail it means an awful lot to all of us.
Many, many thanks again, Natasha Day'

A new message was made, with the same details given in the original message, this was due to some water damage, with crew handling the message at sea when it was recovered, the new message was e-mailed to Natasha, who gave her approval, the message was placed back inside the bottle on Sunday the 20th of October, then taken out to sea around 1.5 nautical miles South off of the Isle of Wight, with weather conditions being a South Westerly force 6 with gusts of force 7, where it was placed back into the sea to continue the bottles journey with its message and hope that it makes it to its next destination.
We will keep you posted to where the bottle shows up next.

We have had permission from the family to share this story with you and hope that touches you -- the same way that it has our crew.

Again SSILB sends our sympathy to the Family members at their loss of their Son, Brother and boyfriend - Robbie Michael Day.

Song: The fray - How to save a life (As chosen by Natasha Day)