Eerie ‘witch bottles’ are washing up along Gulf of Mexico. It’s best not to open them
We find bits of glass on the coast here, but I’ve never found a whole bottle before! It’s fascinating to think that despite how vast the ocean is there are some spots where everything washes up. Makes me wonder how many more bottles are floating around out there (and who sent them, and why)
Feels like it would make for a good story!
It makes you wonder, that’s for sure! Can you imagine not knowing what one of these was and opening it up? Phew!
Hmmm, I saw that one washed up on the Texas Gulf Coast. I couldn’t find where. The Texas coast is pretty big. It wasn’t me! Lol!
I’m just going to say that it wasn’t me. I ain’t going near salt water.
I think it just shows up anywhere in the Gulf. Not sure. But it is fascinating, I think.
So do I need to know why you ain’t going near salt water? I mean, I know I’m not, I live too far from the coast.
The air/wind around the coast gets you all salty, and it really feels yucky.
I love the beach, but only if I’m staying close or can shower close by. I have literally rinsed off at a car wash lol! I live 2 hours from the beach and hate the funky feeling. The waves mesmerize me.
I live 10 minutes from this beach. We’ve gone there sometimes for walks, but the walking paths we follow are through parks.
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We’d go late at night, so whenever a giant flying fox would fly overhead, we’d watch it to see if we have to dive out of the way of a poop bomb.
For swimming, this one’s 20 minutes away and much nicer.
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The more I look at it, the more tempted I am to swim…
Ha! That would be quite the surprise
So pretty! Look at that beautiful water! The ocean here never looks that nice haha.
This is the beach I used to work on, on Cape Cod. The waves were massive and the water was full of curious seals (and occasionally sharks ) so most people didn’t brave the water.
Never found any bottles, either- but no bottles might be preferable to finding mysterious spell bottles!
That makes sense. It’s been so long since I’ve been near an ocean, I’d forgotten.
Love the pictures by the way! It looks like you have a great place for some beautiful walks.
We’re a very beachy country. The best ones are further up north, either north of NSW or in QLD.
I loved Green Island when I went. Shallow, clear, cool (not cold) water that goes out so far.
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If you ever end up down this way, that and Shark Bay in WA are nice places to visit. No sharks in the bay, just dolphins. (Or you all can help me win the lottery, and I’ll bring you all down myself.
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Bondi Beach is about an hour’s drive from where I am. It’s a bit overrated compared to the less crowded places you can go elsewhere. It’s probably up there because the food is good, and it doesn’t require a trip outside of Sydney – you can have lunch in the city and be on the beach 20 minutes later.
Wow, those beaches are gorgeous! I wouldn’t know how to pick one!
Sounds (and looks!) like paradise
Hmm… this is an interesting article because it says that the bottles are suspected to be from the Caribbean and South America, yet it calls them witch bottles, which is a phrase that originated in the UK
It’s suspected the bottles found along Texas originated in the Caribbean and South America, according to Jace Tunnell of the Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies.
I wonder what sort of cultural practice in those areas includes bottles such as these! And in no way am I saying that cultural practices in the Caribbean and South America don’t include different types of witch bottles. It’s just something I haven’t heard of before!
I hadn’t even thought about that! Huh. That’s curious.
From how many there are, I wonder if a storm took someone’s store or place of business. Either which way, I’d be leery of taking one home.
OK @starborn , I’ve heard of being baptized by a bird. In Paris and New York, people wished they could fly over pigeons. A flying fox? Yeah, I know it’s a big bat, not the creature I see in my mind, but… My imagination went to a red, dog-sized creature with wings releasing a softball sized pile! Even Pegasus on the wing!
Sorry if you’re eating. I’m feeling super silly today.
Definitely wouldn’t want one of those hitting me in the head. They’re some of the stinkiest ones I’ve ever had the pleasure of smelling, too. Probably because of all the fruit. A softball sized one… Too much!
And also, I was just eating chocolate mousse! Ew! I’m kidding. It’s 4 am – I wish I was.
OMG @starborn can I move in with you??? The beaches are gorgeous! I do believe that Australia has some monster great white sharks. Maybe I should just stick to the gulf coast with tiger sharks and hammer heads. Lol!
You are more than welcome!
Don’t worry, the great whites don’t like the nice beaches up north – the water is probably too warm and there aren’t any seals or anything to eat.
I think they seasonally visit the southern parts and probably the west coast. On the rare occasion, they’ve popped up around here. But there are lots of other places to go. A country with nothing but coastline is bound to have options.
I think we also heavily shark net areas. For example, Shark Nets - SharkSmart