Sylvester Mitchell of Mossel Bay writes:
9 July started with a normal morning ritual for my pigeons and me.
I saw one of my pigeons with a strange white paper around its leg. I noticed it was one of my pigeons that was on a race from Graaff-Reinet, which started on 27 June.
We cut off the paper from the pigeon's leg and found all of the details of the person who had found her. It was like a message in a bottle.
I made contact with Leon Coetzee, and he explained to me that the pigeon had flown on board his boat between Cape St Francis and Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape. It was gale-force winds and late afternoon, and she was very tired.
He gave her food and water and kept her safe. He let her go at the Mossel Bay Harbour on 4 July. I contacted him the same morning.
He felt like a kid when I contacted him and couldn't believe we were both from Mossel Bay.
I would like to thank Leon from the bottom of my heart. I will forever be grateful for what you have done for my pigeon and me.
