The Bottle Caper

For those who have not read my previous post about finding our bottle in the Caribbean, please go back to the previous post with photos of the bottle that was found after having been launched eight years ago.

So, we decided to reenact this deed, but this time from the Queen Mary 2 and in the waters of the China Sea.

The Mission:   To prepare and launch a champaign bottle with our reward note tucked safely inside.

The Preparation:  First we had to prepare our bottle.  We began by pouring out the champagne, rinsing and drying the bottle.

Popping the cork!

Pouring out the champagne.  (Sorry, John!)

Checking for any moisture after drying the inside of the bottle with a hair dryer.

The all important note!  We still offered $50. USD

After having rolled our note as tightly as possible, Bill stuffed it in the bottle!

Working to make sure we get the cork as far back in the bottle as possible!

The tools of our trade for this adventure!  Note the candle (kindly offered from a dining room), a cigarette lighter and our map of where we are located .  We dripped wax all around the cork and then reapplied the wire and dripped more wax.  At last, we felt our bottle was ready!

Some co-conspirators.....  ( there are quite a few signs around the ship pointing out that throwing anything overboard is not allowed.)

Smuggling our precious cargo into dinner inside my purse...the launch needed to be done under the cover of darkness..

Dressed in our best bottle launching wardrobe!

Many locations were scouted out during the day.  We finally settled on an out of the way corner where there were no observation windows...

The Deed:

Ready. Set.....

THROW!!!!!!!

And the deed was accomplished!  Now the waiting begins.  The previous two bottle launches I was involved with took 8 years to return and be found... The clock has started ticking....

We dock in Shanghai the day after tomorrow....

And Duffy is doing great !  She is almost completely over her cold!