Steps:
1. On an island, I found a set piece with a skeleton, straw hat, and a message in a bottle.
2. I picked up the bottle, and right clicked to try to read it.
Result:
I disappeared from view for a second, and then came back. Nothing happened with regard to the bottle (my map didn't appear showing an x as it normally would). The bottle still says it contains a message, but it doesn't work. I tried closing out to the save slot screen and coming back, but I have the same issue.
Workaround:
After closing Don't Starve completely and then reopening it and going back into the game, it works fine.