The Captain Scarlett and Her Pirate's Booty expansion for Borderlands 2 offers several treasure hunt side missions scattered across its coastal regions. Among these optional objectives, the Message In A Bottle quest in The Rustyards stands out as a memorable scavenger hunt for Vault Hunters seeking extra loot. Finding both the message container and the buried chest requires navigating through a maze of scrap structures and hostile pirate enemies.
How to Find the Bottle in The Rustyards
To initiate the quest, players must locate the physical bottle hidden within The Rustyards map. The bottle is concealed in the rear section of a marooned ship hull near the northern reaches of the scrapyard. Players need to crouch and crawl behind the metal plating to interact with the message and accept the mission.
Once picked up, the mission log updates with clues pointing toward the buried loot location. Tracking this objective closely allows players to prepare for the combat encounters lying ahead in the scrap facility.
Locating the Buried Treasure Chest
Uncovering the hidden treasure requires heading toward the southern portion of the map known as the Dreg Scrapyard. After crossing a long metal bridge, turn right toward a wooden walkway with an elevated staircase. The chest is buried directly beneath the stairs and is indicated by a large black X marked on the ground.
Interacting with the marked spot prompts your character to dig up the treasure chest. Opening the chest rewards players with currency, experience points, and specialized gear designed for endgame survival.
Quest Rewards and Unique Gear
Completing the Message In A Bottle quest yields valuable experience points and cash scaling to your current level. The primary highlight of the reward pool is Captain Blade's Otto Idol, a unique relic that restores health upon killing an enemy. This item provides excellent utility for aggressive combat builds that rely on constant health regeneration.
In addition to the guaranteed relic reward, the buried chest itself contains several randomized weapons and shields. Vault Hunters frequently complete this quest during their playthroughs to upgrade their equipment loadout.
Troubleshooting Known Quest Glitches
Some players encounter a visual bug where the mission text incorrectly references Magnys Lighthouse instead of The Rustyards. In rare instances, this glitch prevents the black X mark from spawning on the ground altogether. If the digging spot fails to appear, exiting to the main menu and reloading the area usually fixes the issue.
Ensuring your game version is fully updated also minimizes the chance of experiencing progression bugs. Following the exact navigation path under the stairs guarantees you reach the correct coordinates every time.
