The Tides That Bind - Trailer
Clint Buffington runs the website Message in a Bottle Hunter, where he shares true stories of the 140+ messages in bottles he has found. Clint is also the subject of both the award-winning 2019 documentary film, The Tides That Bind, and the 2025 BBC Radio 4 documentary, “Returned to Sender,” which follow his efforts to find messages in bottles and meet the people who sent them.
Clint invites readers to submit their message in a bottle mysteries, and helps those who have found messages in bottles connect with their authors. Additionally, Clint researches the history of bottled messages, debunking myths and bringing to light forgotten stories of seafaring letters.
Clint’s research, writing, and message in a bottle discoveries have been featured by a variety of news outlets, including People, UPI, CNN, VOX, CBS, BBC Radio, The Boston Globe, The Washington Post, The Guardian, and more.
Visit Message in a Bottle Hunter for message in a bottle facts, history, currently unsolved messages, and more.
Publications
“Christmas Time in a Bottle.” Beachcombing Magazine, Vol. 51, Nov. / Dec. 2025, pp. 38 - 43.
“A Message from Halfway Across the Sea.” Beachcombing Magazine, Vol. 47, March / April 2025, pp. 34 - 41.
“Love Floats.” Beachcombing Magazine. July / August 2018, Vol. 7.
“Message in a Bottle: History Through Bottled Notes.” Traces: Uncovering the Past. Vol. 2, 2018.
Interviews
“A Message in a Bottle Was Found in the Bahamas 54 Years Later.” NJ.com. October 12, 2025.
“Man Finds Message in a Bottle Tossed in Ocean Decades Ago.” Inside Edition. October, 2025.
“Brothers Find a Message in a Bottle—Then Track Down the Man Who Wrote it in 1976.” People.com. April 20, 2025.
“Man Connects With Decade Old Message in a Bottle Author From Bay Area.” NBC Bay Area. April 25, 2025.
"Message in a Bottle Hunter Clint Buffington Uncorks a Mystery". UPI.com. 2022
"Clint Buffington, 'Message in a Bottle Hunter,' Turned a Childhood Fascination Into a 'Magical' Hobby". Huffington Post Canada. 2018.
"Tracing Messages in Bottles". Radio New Zealand. 2017.
"A Message in a Bottle and a Journey Around the World" The Guardian. 2016.
"Messages in Bottles are Treasure Hunts for Utah Man". Salt Lake Tribune. 2014.