Dated 19 April 2008 the letter is signed by a José Sílvio Vasconcelos and was released into the sea on from Sítio do Cabeço on the island of Porto Santo, Madeira.
For several years it has been travelling the currents and waves of the Atlantic Ocean, covering more than 3,500 nautical miles – or over 6,550 kilometres – through seasons and swells.
It was found washed up on the idyllic Caribbean sands of Johnson’s Point in Saint Mary on the west coast of Antigua, by American Patrick Meyer, from Steamboat Springs, Colorado, who was visiting the island.
Despite initially appealing for information on the bottle’s sender, it seems Mr. Meyer and Mr. Vasconcelos may now be in touch.
Commenting on his Facebook page, Mr. Meyer said: “Took 7 years and 7 months to the day for me to find a bottle that floated across the Atlantic and only 12 hours on FB to connect with the sender. Very small large world!”