Imagine a toy duck taking on an epic journey, travelling nearly 650 kilometers about two decades, all the way from Ireland to Scotland. Sounds like a plot for a quirky animated movie like The Toy Story, right? Well, believe it or not, it actually happened! This isn’t just any regular toy; it’s a survivor of a failed world record attempt back in 2006. A rubber duck that went missing during a failed world record attempt nearly 18 years ago in Ireland has resurfaced, discovered by a teenager 400 miles (644 km) away, as reported by the New York Post (NY Post). The duck was one of 150,000 yellow toys launched into the River Liffey in Dublin as part of the charity World Duck Race in June 2006.
The rubber ducks were supposed to travel one kilometer down the river and pass under five bridges. However, during the race, several ducks had reportedly escaped into the sea. Now, after many years, one duck has been found nearly 650 kilometers away on the island of Stronsay in the Orkney archipelago in Scotland, informs the NY Post.
The rubber duck toy, surprisingly, was found in pretty good condition. Filip Miller, 13, stumbled upon it while walking his dogs. He brought the toy home, and his mother, Marion, noticed the writing on it.
“The spring tides have been really high recently, and my son was walking the dogs along the shore. He was finding some bits and pieces, and then there was this rubber duck," Marion told the NY Post.
Photos shared by the teen show that despite the years at sea, the duck was still in relatively good condition, retaining its bright orange beak, dark eyes, and the race’s information printed on its front. “I had a look at it and saw writing on it. That’s when I saw it said, ‘World Record Duck Race, Ireland 2006,’ and so we got a bit excited and started Googling it," Marion further explained.
According to the NY Post, each duck in the race was sponsored, with the first duck to pass under five bridges declared the winner. The winning sponsor was awarded a trip to the US. Some other ducks from the race have also been found in Morecambe, England, and the Isle of Wight in the English Channel, with one even being spotted in Sweden.
CBS News reported that while the world record attempt failed, it succeeded in raising money for a local children’s hospital. The latest world record for such a race was set in 2009 with 205,000 plastic ducks floating down the River Thames.
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