Trash with a Message

Sunday morning, during the calm before the storm, I ventured out on the Assabet River from Maynard.  After paddling  a short distance I came upon a bottle with a message inside.  It wasn't the first time I'd encountered such a bottle. However, the others were in glass bottles with better seals for keeping the river water out.  Plastic bottles just don't seal well as almost every plastic bottle I've found in the river is partially full of water.  I believe bottle-messages traditionally were placed in a glass bottle and sealed with a cork.

This bottle was seen on the Stow side of Russell's Bridge on the Assabet...

Looking closer it was noted that some water had already leaked into the bottle and the ink was beginning to run. I pulled the note out of the bottle...

...and read the message which asked for a text message but didn't provide a phone number....oh well.  Sam's bottle took an unexpected detour at this point when, instead of flowing toward the ocean, it went further upriver from Maynard to Gleasondale with me.

About a quarter mile or so beyond the bridge a bald eagle flew over head...

Approaching Crow Island I scanned the area for the eagle...

...and sure enough, after rounding the bend in the river, there he was above the island...

A closer look...

At Sudbury Road it looked like some folks partook of some seasonal apple cider...

...only one bothered to put the cap back on the plastic container.   The message bottle now had some company in my trash bag.

Continuing upriver a hawk and his tormentor were encountered...

Fort Meadow Brook was loudly forcing its way through a debris filled box culvert...

An early Christmas Tree?...

Reached Gleasondale just as the day's predicted rain got underway.  At that point the message bottle got a ride back in the direction intended, even if only as far as Ice House Landing.  So Sam,  while your bottle's journey was relatively short, it was eventful.