Here's how a real estate sign from the United States ended up on a beach in France
Almost six years after Hurricane Sandy hit the United States, a sign blown away by the wind was discovered across the Atlantic Ocean, washed up on a beach in France. Pictures were posted on Facebook by the New Jersey-based realtor the sign belonged to quickly went viral.
A Belgian man holidaying in France stumbled across the real estate sign while walking along a beach near Bordeaux, CBS2 reports. He took photos of the sign, Googled it and sent the company an email explaining what he had found.
The Independent identifies the man as 64-year-old Hannes Frank. "Just wanted to let you know that I found part of one of your signposts washed up on the beach near Bordeaux, France. Pictures available if wanted. Not in best shape after that crossing," Mr Frank wrote in the email, according to The Independent.
The employees of Diane Turton, Realtors initially thought it was all an elaborate prank. "I couldn't believe it. At first I thought it was a joke," Ms Turton told CBS2.
They asked for the pictures as proof and then went a step further, using the GPS locators on the photos to confirm the location.
Turns out, the sign was lost during Hurricane Sandy from a waterfront home in Brielle, New Jersey, Perry Beneduce, the company's marketing director told ABC13.
Posting photos of the sign on Facebook, the company joked: "Having our signage wash up in France on the beach truly proves that Diane Turton, Realtors is a global real estate company."
Oceanographer Curtis Ebbesmeyer told the New York Times that he estimated the sign probably floated back and forth across the Atlantic Ocean three times over nearly six years before finally washing up on the beach.
The real estate company hopes to get the sign back to frame it as a memento.
A Belgian man holidaying in France stumbled across the real estate sign while walking along a beach near Bordeaux, CBS2 reports. He took photos of the sign, Googled it and sent the company an email explaining what he had found.
The Independent identifies the man as 64-year-old Hannes Frank. "Just wanted to let you know that I found part of one of your signposts washed up on the beach near Bordeaux, France. Pictures available if wanted. Not in best shape after that crossing," Mr Frank wrote in the email, according to The Independent.
The employees of Diane Turton, Realtors initially thought it was all an elaborate prank. "I couldn't believe it. At first I thought it was a joke," Ms Turton told CBS2.
They asked for the pictures as proof and then went a step further, using the GPS locators on the photos to confirm the location.
Turns out, the sign was lost during Hurricane Sandy from a waterfront home in Brielle, New Jersey, Perry Beneduce, the company's marketing director told ABC13.
Posting photos of the sign on Facebook, the company joked: "Having our signage wash up in France on the beach truly proves that Diane Turton, Realtors is a global real estate company."
Oceanographer Curtis Ebbesmeyer told the New York Times that he estimated the sign probably floated back and forth across the Atlantic Ocean three times over nearly six years before finally washing up on the beach.
The real estate company hopes to get the sign back to frame it as a memento.