IT'S a tale of two bored Bridport fishermen.
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On April 23 last year, a mile from the St Helens barway, Insta-Gator seamen Tom Douglas and Chris Kershaw decided to put a message in a beer bottle and throw it into the ocean - thinking it would just wash up onshore.
However, nine months and 2000 kilometres later, the barnacle-covered bottle was found on Tuesday by Bell Block resident Graeme Pepperell while walking along a New Zealand beach near Taranaki.
"We cannot believe it has been found, especially in New Zealand," Mr Douglas, 19, said.
Mr Kershaw, 21, added: "We were just bored steaming out to the fishing grounds about six in the morning," he said.
"It is something we both did as kids so we thought we would give it ago."
The mackerel fishermen included both of their phone numbers on the note so anyone that found it could get in contact.
Mr Douglas said the pair were being treated like rock stars by their friends since the bottle's discovery.