'Drift bottle' launched in 1961 washes up near Boston

June 19 (UPI) -- A message in a bottle launched from an island between the United States and Canada turned up 63 years later near Boston.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Maritimes said in a social media post that the bottle with a note inside was a drift bottle used to track surface currents.

"Starting in 1922, researchers tracked surface currents by releasing bottles into the ocean, relying on people to let them know when and where bottles were found. This 'old-school' technology only helped researchers understand the recovery locations and dates," FOC Maritimes said.

The bottle, one of five launched in 1961 from Machias Seal Island, a disputed island in the Bay of Fundy, was found recently on the northern tip of Cape Cod.

The bottle contained a note promising a $1 reward if the finder reported the bottle's location to researchers. It was unclear whether the offer remains valid.