By CATHY ARONSON
A message from Japan has washed up on the West Coast, near Kawhia, and into the hands of a 10-year-old girl.
Marree Keepa-Tamainu thought she had found a Kinder Surprise toy when she went looking for shells with her cousins on Ocean Beach on Tuesday afternoon.
Marree got more than a surprise when she found a message from a Japanese girl written on four small pieces of greaseproof paper.
Marree is still trying to contact the letter writer, Fumiko Hawasa, who is from Toyo in Ehime, Japan.
Fumiko Hawasa may also be surprised when she finds out who received the letter.
The letter reads: "Hello!! The man who gets this bottle!! My name is Fumiko Hawasa. I'm a Japanese girl. I am looking for a man who becomes my pen pal. If you accept my wish, please write me a letter. I am looking forward to getting your happy letter. Thank you for reading!! Goodbye."
The message was undated and Ms Hawasa did not say where she was when she sent it.
Marree took the message to Kawhia School where her teacher, Leanne Apiti, also thought it was a Kinder Surprise and growled at Marree for bringing a toy to class.
"But miss, look inside," said Marree.
The message has now become a class project and Miss Apiti has the mission of explaining to her Standard 4 pupils how it travelled from Japan. A likely explanation is that Ms Hawasa tossed it overboard from a passing ship.
NIWA oceanographer Basil Stanton said it was unlikely the message had floated from Japan, a distance of more than 8700km.
"It would have been a difficult journey. The equatorial currents are intended to divide the north and south [Pacific oceans], but it can happen."
However, similar messages had been sent from passing ships.
Marree will write to Ms Hawasa. She is interested to find out who she is and how old she is.
Mrs Apiti said the message from Japan was exciting for a town with only 600 people.
"Look at the size of the ocean. It is amazing that it has made its way to Kawhia and that Marree was in the right place at the right time. But the Japanese girl might be disappointed that she didn't find a man."
Mrs Apiti said the class was studying letter writing and penpals, but now they would study messages in bottles and maybe make their own.
Marree already has a penpal in Malaysia and an internet e-pal in Australia.
Marree has never been overseas and would not mind meeting her new mystery penpal.
Ocean delivers long-range message
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