An Affable Dutch Beachcomber Has Found and Amassed Over 1,200 Messages in Bottles

Great Big Story visited with Wim Kruiswijk, a genial man who has enjoyed his walks on the beach near his home in Zandvoort, Netherlands for over 30 years. While on one of these walks, Kruiswijk found a fabled message in a bottle to which he promptly responded. Since that time, this affable beachcomber has found, amassed and attempted to respond to over 1,200 of these found messages in bottles. Kruiswijk said that he finds the hunt to be exhilarating.

Though it may take Kruiswijk anywhere from days to months to come across his next find, the thrill of the search and the surprise that each bottle holds keeps him going.