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Wim KruiswijkDutch former accountant, retiree and collector of bottles with messages
Country:
 Netherlands |
Content:
- Wim Kruiswijk: A Dutch Bottle Message Collector
- An Unusual Hobby
- A Process of Discovery
- Organizing the Collection
- A Historical Perspective
- Tales of Survival and Connection
- A Legacy of Hope
Wim Kruiswijk: A Dutch Bottle Message Collector
Wim Kruiswijk, a 68-year-old Dutch former accountant and pensioner, has spent years collecting message-in-bottles washed up on the shores of the North Sea. Since finding three bottles on a local beach in 1983, Kruiswijk has amassed a collection of over 1,200 bottles.
An Unusual Hobby
Inspired by the responses he received after writing back to the senders, Kruiswijk became an avid bottle message hunter. He often scours the coastal beaches near his home in Zandvoort, waiting for new messages to arrive. The hobby has become a central part of his life.
A Process of Discovery
When Kruiswijk finds a new bottle, he prefers not to open it immediately. Instead, he takes it home to his study, savoring the anticipation. In the early days of his hobby, he would find up to 50 bottles a year. However, since 2000, the number has declined to around 20-30. He believes this is due to increased beach maintenance and the rise of digital communication.
Organizing the Collection
With a typically methodical approach, Kruiswijk has meticulously organized his collection. The vast majority of messages are filed in folders, but he keeps unusual or elaborately decorated bottles intact. His collection even includes messages delivered in test tubes.
A Historical Perspective
The earliest recorded use of bottle messages dates back to the 4th century BC, when the Greek philosopher Theophrastus used them to study ocean currents. Today, researchers still use this method to create maps of ocean currents.
Tales of Survival and Connection
Bottle messages have often played a role in saving lives, such as the message that rescued 88 stranded immigrants in Costa Rica in 2005. They have also been used by lost sailors to send farewell messages and by mourners to scatter the ashes of loved ones. In more recent times, bottle messages have been a way for individuals to forge friendships or share romantic gestures.
A Legacy of Hope
In 1957, a Swedish sailor named Ake Viking threw a bottle into the sea with a message in multiple languages, asking for a woman to write to him. The bottle was found by a Sicilian fisherman, who gave it to his 16-year-old niece, Paolina Puzzo. Viking and Paolina corresponded and eventually married. Their story stands as a testament to the power of bottle messages to connect people across oceans.
