Saturday, October 2, 2010


PDF versions of papers from the 2009 Darwin & Galapagos symposium held at the California Academy of Sciences are available here:

http://research.calacademy.org/scipubs/pubs/1831

Monday, July 19, 2010

More on Star of India death

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/jul/18/star-india-volunteer-critically-injured-fall/

San Diego Maritime Museum volunteer dies

http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local-beat/Questions-Surround-Star-of-India-Death-98750274.html

Saturday, May 22, 2010

Galapagos conflict - yet again




Galapagos aficionados: a 1-page article in the May 31, 2010, issue of TIME magazine (cover story on FB) on hotels, tourism, and conservation in Galapagos. Negative press for 2 Villamil hotels: Isabela Spa and Iguana Crossing, both described as built in violation of environmental codes.Matt James



http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1990789,00.html

Tuesday, May 18, 2010


Nice article about shipwright north of here at Noyo Harbor.



On my list of places to visit:



Wednesday, May 12, 2010

This article hits on so many aspects of why the 1905-06 Galapagos expedition was undertaken and why the extensive collections brought back to San Francisco remain significant today:

Tuesday, May 11, 2010


HMS Beagle was launched 190 years ago today, May 11, 1820. Curious tale of suicide, kidnapping, and pedophilia that lead to Charles Darwin sailing on the second of three Beagle voyages (1826, 1831, 1837), all were surveying and hydrographic voyages.

See:

And for the back-story on Darwin, the Beagle, and Captain Robert Fitzroy, see:

Ship model photo from:



Sunday, May 9, 2010


Cast a vote for restoration efforts of the schooner Adventuress.

http://www.soundexp.org/index.php?page=vote4boat


Friday, April 9, 2010

Watch out for Frommers photo contests

http://www.bobkrist.com/blog/frommers-now-fing-freelancers-and-photo-enthusiasts/

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Kyrgyzstan - I have plausible deniability

Not unexpectedly, the call came in today requesting I leave immediately to put down the revolution in Kyrgyzstan. I told them (again) that I was much more comfortable toppling unstable regimes than suppressing revolutions. And I reminded them that I really need to mow the lawn and that, yes, I have been their go-to guy numerous times in the past, but I felt someone else would be more appropriate. Oh, and I repeated the thing about the lawn and that seemed to work. So now my lawn is neat and clean, and Kyrgyzstan is a mess. Coincidence? I think not.