This is by far the strangest thing to happen to me while kayak fishing.  Perhaps ever, actually.

Joe aka "J-Fek" and I hit George Rogers Park on the Willamette River yesterday for a little bass/sturgeon action. I launched a bit before seven am and failed yet again to catch one of the numerous Willamette smallies. After an hour or so of attempting to catch one of the many fish jumping all over the place, Joe showed up. We agreed to give up on the smallies and go give Sturgeon a shot.

While getting ready to drop anchor, I noticed a 22-ounce bottle of Arrogant Bastard Beer floating close by. It looked to be full. So, realizing I hadn’t brought any delicious hoppy beverages for the day, I swung over and picked it up. I immediately noticed that instead of beer, there was a note inside. Hmm, interesting, but too bad about the Arrogant Bastard; a great beer if you haven’t ever tried it.

So, Joe and I start fishing. After a while I pulled the cork out of the bottle and attempted  to get the note out. No luck. The note unrolled a bit and it’s not coming out. I shook and pounded the bottle a number of times still no luck.

The bite was slow and there wasn’t much action. I kept thinking about the bottle. I picked it up to give it another shot. This time I got a small piece of rubber glove close from the bottom to reach up and pull on. Thinking they put the glove inside to protect the note from water I gave it a pull, and a little piece broke off. Along with it came a small amount of ashes.

Shit. What the hell is this? Finally putting all the pieces together,  I told Joe that I think these are human remains. ¡No Bueno! Not too sure what to do, I submitted the small bits of ashes that were on my hands to the Willamette and put the cork back in. We continued to fish. It finally dawned on me that I can use the antenna from my VHF to roll the notes around it and slide it out. Carefully I do so and find a note and a picture. It seemed as soon as I got the bottle up, the bite turned on. I brought up this 40-inch fish shortly thereafter. Dead guys in bottles must be lucky!

My wife called soon after that and I filled her in on my find. When I told her I was going to keep Arvid, as he seemed to be good fishing luck, she said I was sick and that I needed to throw him back.

Joe and I were going to write a note and add it to the bottle and send him back on his journey. However, neither of us had a pen, so I took Arvid home with me planning to get him back into the water later this week. I also had gotten his letter and picture a little wet, so I wanted to dry it out. Last night I wrote this email, and received a response some hours later.

Dear Mrs. Fairchild-

I discovered Arvid today while kayak fishing for sturgeon off George Rogers Park in Lake Oswego, Oregon with my friend Joe. If you happen to visit the park, Arvid's bottle was floating directly across the river. I was hoping it actually contained a full bottle of beer. Joe and I usually enjoy a few nice micro beers on the river and it would have been great to find a full bottle of Arrogant Bastard. It's one of my favorites. I noticed the note in the bottle and brought it aboard my kayak. Joe and I anchored up and dropped our lines into the water. I removed the cork but I could not for the life of me get the note out.  It was driving me crazy.

The fishing was slow and I couldn't seem to buy a bite. Finally I was able to twist the note tighter and get it out of the bottle. Upon reading the note I immediately had a bite and a second later hooked and landed the attached sturgeon. As soon as we opened the bottle the bite got good, and it was one fish after another. In between catching fish, I read your husband's note, and though it was a bit strange to open a bottle containing his remains, the more I thought about it, the cooler  an idea I thought it was.I decided to bring the bottle home with me, so I could write a note and make sure the bottle is sealed back up well. I hope you don't mind.

Now I've added my note and have the bottle ready to go. I fish out in the ocean often and I was wondering if you might want me to take the bottle with me and drop it in the Pacific? Attached are a couple of photos of Pacific City and Depoe Bay from this year. Pacific City is a beautiful spot and I may be out there next Saturday. If I don't hear back in the next couple of days I will just bring the bottle back to where I found it, and wish Arvid well on the rest of his journey.

Sincerely, Noah Kriel

I soon received this response-

Dear Noah:

Thank you very much for responding, we are trying to figure out how he got there. We sent him on his journey in Pacific City, just north of his fave brewery The Pelican. Wonder how he got to the lake, wonder if he floated up the Columbia?

Anyhow thank you very much, please continue him on his journey back in the Pacific, and have a beer for him at The Pelican if you like. Perhaps he can help someone else have a great fishing trip as well. My friend Jason had the idea to send him on a world tour. Hopefully, on his next send-off he will leave Oregon.....LOL. If you could take a photo dropping him back into the Pacific somewhere, that would be great!

Sincerely, Mrs. Fairchild

And, here is my final email to the wife of the late Arvid.

Mrs. Fairchild-

That is pretty interesting. I actually found him floating in the Willamette River, right across from Lake Oswego. Sorry if I didn't make that clear before. 

I love Pacific City and a number of us kayak fishing guys launch off the beach there often. The next trip out, we'll take him out with us and try and get him a mile or so off shore before dropping him back in. Would you mind emailing me another picture of him? The original got a little wet on the kayak and the colors ran a bit. I'd like to replace it if possible. I will be sure to snap some photos of us dropping him back in. It might be a week or two depending on what the ocean forecast is, but I promise we will get him back on his journey soon!

Thank you, Noah

On August 18, Arvid was set back on his voyage from the waters at Pacific City Oregon.  The fishing was particularly good that day.