By the time you read this, I’ll be on my way down south… way down south. The BA family is heading to the Galapagos Islands for an 11 day adventure with a boatfull of skeptics!
This cruise is being done through the James Randi Educational Foundation (perhaps you’ve heard of it), and it’s filled to the brim (or in nautical terms, the poopdeck) with skeptics. The Amazing One his own self will be there, and so will PZ Myers, George Hrab, Soccergirl, the awesome AB Kovacs, and a bunch more. We’re stopping for two days in Quito, Ecuador, to experience the country, the equator (I have things planned for that, oh yes I do), an observatory, and generally just eat lots of stuff (guinea pigs? Maybe).
Then we fly to the islands, board our ship, and tour the region that inspired one Charles Darwin, and made so many creationists weep over the intervening century.
That’s PZ’s territory more than mine. But we’ll be smack dab on the Equator, which means southern skies. The Magellanic Clouds (if we get up really early)! The Milky Way majestically sprawled overhead! And the Perseids (peaking August 12, so go out around 1:00 a.m. when the Moon is low and look for meteors)!
I plan on having a wonderful time. I have several blog posts written and ready to go, just in case the intertubes don’t connect well on the boat. I’m hoping to get some writing done while I’m down there, but you’ll still get articles from me either way. I’ll try to Twitter while I’m there, too.
Enjoy the northern hemisphere while I’m gone!
August 8th, 2008 at 9:14 am
Not much else to say except that is awesome. Are you allowed to shoot and eat the different types of finches to see if they taste different in addition to other differences?
August 8th, 2008 at 9:24 am
JELOUS I am.
August 8th, 2008 at 9:46 am
I’m jealous!!!
August 8th, 2008 at 10:02 am
Echoing the general jealousy felt. I’d love to go there and do some SCUBA diving. Say hi to Lonesome George for me, and get all depressed because of him.
August 8th, 2008 at 10:09 am
Have a great trip Phil. You’ll love the Galapogos…there’s literally no place on Earth quite like it.
August 8th, 2008 at 10:23 am
Wish I could afford to go on that cruise. Would be so cool.
August 8th, 2008 at 10:30 am
When you cross the equator, flush the toilet and see if the water suddenly starts spinning the other way.
August 8th, 2008 at 10:33 am
Well, ‘Lonesome’ George just pulled, so there’s a little less reason to be sad.
August 8th, 2008 at 10:36 am
Have fun. The Northern Hemisphere will be quiet without you.
OK everyone… mayhem rules! He’s gone! Let’s Paaaaaartyyyyyyyy!
Oh, wait… I wonder if he left BAMom in charge????
August 8th, 2008 at 10:42 am
You’re going with the what foundation? Who?
PS: I’m jealous. But at least we on the northern hemisphere have the Little Dipper in our sky. Everyday! Or night.
August 8th, 2008 at 10:43 am
PPS: It’s not very humble of you to call yourself The Amazing One.
Oh. THAT Amazing One! NOW I’m really jealous.
August 8th, 2008 at 10:46 am
Enjoy the southern sky! I’d really like to see it myself. But maybe I’ll get the chance later… Have a nice journey.
(except showing that the rotation of water has nothing to do with the Equator…)
Btw: Being president, now. Are you having some special tasks to do?
August 8th, 2008 at 10:46 am
I didn’t realize both you AND PZ were going to the Galapagos.
Man, now not going REALLY hurts. Whine, whine, whimper, whimper.
Oh well, hope you all have a GREAT time!
August 8th, 2008 at 10:47 am
Be careful to look over your shoulder when near the edge of the boat. You know PZ can talk to the Cephalopods.
August 8th, 2008 at 10:51 am
I wonder if Phil and PZ are going to stay on opposites sides of the boat? Maybe draw a line down the middle?
August 8th, 2008 at 10:52 am
@Rev. BigDumbChimp
PZ may be able to talk to the Cephalopods, but Phil can talk to the meteors, comets, stars, and other various space-stuff. Squid grabs Phil. Space-rock squishes squid.
August 8th, 2008 at 11:06 am
I came to express my jealousy…. But I see there’s already lots of that floatin’ around.
Have fun!!
August 8th, 2008 at 12:03 pm
(or in nautical terms, the poopdeck)
(Or in astronomical terms, the Puppis?)
August 8th, 2008 at 12:21 pm
PZ may be able to talk to the Cephalopods, but Phil can talk to the meteors, comets, stars, and other various space-stuff. Squid grabs Phil. Space-rock squishes squid.
This all sounds so much like a re-make of Doctor Doolittle (the original Rex Harrison version, not the Eddie Murphy one.)
August 8th, 2008 at 1:12 pm
I don’t know if I’m more jealous over all the wonderful places you’ll visit and the science you’ll get to observe or spending 11 days with Soccergirl in your midst.
August 8th, 2008 at 1:34 pm
Have an Amaz!ng time Phil!! I wish I would have had the cash to go because it is going to be so much fun!
August 8th, 2008 at 2:24 pm
I am so jealous right now. Phil, how about you exchange my boring life with yours.
August 8th, 2008 at 3:01 pm
I’m not jealous. I expect the weather will be really, really hot and sunny all the time. Except at night, when it will be hot and starry. Can you imagine anything more boring?
No, I’m not jealous at all. Really.
Still, I hope you do your best to have a good time despite everything.
August 8th, 2008 at 3:50 pm
Say “Hi” to Stephanie Colburtle, Stephen Colbert’s turtle, if you see her.
August 8th, 2008 at 4:02 pm
Hope you don’t seasick, even though it would hot there I still like to see the islands that inspired Darwain.
August 8th, 2008 at 4:54 pm
The nautical term would be the gunwale. As a long time reader of your site, I know what the equator plan is. Did you bring a square pale so you can try to fool your fellow skeptics?
Twitter or blog us your lat and long so us landlocked folk can follow your progress!
August 8th, 2008 at 5:37 pm
Remember to watch out for ufos too!
August 8th, 2008 at 6:22 pm
“…in the Southern Cross” — Crosby, Stills, etc.
Have fun! Use lots of sunblock. Quantities of it.
August 8th, 2008 at 9:20 pm
I am SO jealous. So unbelievably jealous.
Although, actually, I dunno. I don’t think I’d wanna be an innocent bystander when two feuding mad scientists like you and PZ are placed in that close of proximity… here’s hoping the ship makes it through intact!
August 9th, 2008 at 12:59 am
What will the Northern hemisphere do with all of our defenders deserting us? I don’t think we have ever been left so unguarded before. What if the woo try to take over in your absence? I’m scared!
August 9th, 2008 at 12:59 am
@ Phil -
“…, to experience the country, the equator (I have things planned for that, oh yes I do),…”
I crossesd the equator, during my second tour, which was in USNR. The Captain of the ship allowed the ususal initiation by King Neptunr (A burly, post bellied Bos’n.) The polliwogs had to kiss some “baby” in diapers, his grease covered (also pot-bellied} belly button, to become shellbacks. I’m still a polliwog.
That’s a right smart ship. And, roomy for it’s people capacity.
“…and tour the region that inspired one Charles Darwin, and made so many creationists weep over the intervening century.”
I’m so glad I’m not a creationist. It’s hard to make me cry, but Charles Darwin would sure make me cry. Even ‘though I’m Catholic, it makes me so sad, that Charlie made a monkey out of the human race. snicker.
(you expected me to make some comment here, right?)
I’m sure you will enjoy: like company; smart cruise ship; on adventure to Latin America and the Galapagos Archepelago. Ya’ll are in my prayers, for a safe round trip.
Don
“But we’ll be smack dab on the Equator, which means southern skies. The Magellanic Clouds (if we get up really early)! The Milky Way majestically sprawled overhead! And the Perseids (peaking August 12, so go out around 1:00 a.m. when the Moon is low and look for meteors)!”
We were at sea during Nov-Dec of ’72; the night sky away from all land…it’s beautiful…I didn’t see any meteor swarm (I had duty belowdecks and only came up during my off-duty hours). But the serenity of the sea and sky at night…I ate it up.
BTW, thanks for posting links to some of the other skeptcs web pages. I enjoyed surfing from one web page to the next.
Don
August 10th, 2008 at 11:57 am
Hi, Phil! This is so great! I’m from Ecuador and have been a loyal reader(although never an active one) since you were on that other website, and before that too (was there another website or did you just remodeled the old one before coming here?)
Anyways, it’s great to see some interesting people using their vacation time wisely… Though I’m from Guayaquil (main coastal city), I like Quito and the sierra landscapes. The food is so delicious there, all but the cuy (Cavia porcellus or Guinea Pig).
Galapagos is the most amazing place in the world, you’ll feel like you’ve traveled back in time or trough a Stargate to another planet. PX something.
Have a wonderful time!
August 11th, 2008 at 8:26 am
Since the Galapagos lie astride the Equator, we haven’t been abandoned entirely for the next week, if this trip is taking one of the typical first class itineraries.
Incidentally, for those bemoaning the fact that they lacked the money for this excursion…with a little planning and some bargaining, you can get a first class Galapagos cruise for far less than this. With the money left over you can go to a TAM or two if you really need your minor celebrity fix.