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Plastic duck armada is heading for Britain after 15-year global voyage

timesonline.co.uk — A flotilla of plastic ducks is heading for Britain’s beaches, according to an American oceanographer. For the past 15 years Curtis Ebbesmeyer has been tracking nearly 30,000 plastic bath toys that were released into the Pacific Ocean when a container was washed off a cargo ship.

Who dugg this? Made popular Jun 28, 2007

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  • Nudar, on 10/11/2007, -1/+177Flotilla of plastic ducks, you're the one! You make my bathtime so much fun!
  • mattsaw, on 10/11/2007, -12/+158I'm actually more concerned that someone has enough time on their hands to spend 15 years tracking plastic ducks!
  • ATH025, on 10/11/2007, -0/+123I wonder if you can see them anywhere on Google Maps...
  • IClavdivs, on 10/11/2007, -4/+108I hate that phrase "enough time on their hands. Like, wtf do you do with YOUR life that is so god-damned important? huh?
  • nshah, on 10/11/2007, -2/+95Behold, the Spanish Armada's revenge!

  • dbwood, on 10/11/2007, -1/+81Okay, this is great. Thoroughly amusing.
  • manicmarvin, on 10/11/2007, -0/+67This was foretold centuries ago. Repent, the end is nigh!!!

    "Around the world, the duck armada floats,
    In the years when the chimp rides the eagle.
    The Queen will quack with delight.
    Never eat spinach with a stranger."

    -- Nostradamus, Lost Prophecies, VI Cent, Q.69
  • anagoge, on 10/11/2007, -1/+65The Duckies were created by Man
    They rebelled
    They evolved
    There are many copies
    And they have a plan
  • sexybobo, on 10/11/2007, -0/+61probably not they don't have very detailed views of any oceans. would be boring for the most part. the thing i am most impressed about is they have plastic bath toys that survived 15 years in the ocean those have got to be the sturdiest things ever made in china.
  • NYCowboy, on 10/11/2007, -0/+56I want to dress like Ernie and sit in the ocean as they come in.
  • elyobelyob, on 10/11/2007, -2/+58Let's look at the facts ... he's an oceanographer and these plastic ducks are providing a fantastic insight into ocean currents etc. So, it seems that he's actually doing his job. Now, let's turn our attention to yourself ... you're probably sitting down somewhere, reading and replying to stories on Digg .... so, is this something that we can classify as "work"? Probably not ...
  • YooHoo86, on 10/11/2007, -0/+55I remember doing this story for current events when I was in elementary school.....its funny how they are still floating after all these years.
  • migraineboy, on 10/11/2007, -1/+53Heh, literally "current events".
  • mandarin, on 10/11/2007, -3/+52I fight zombies in a post apocalyptic war zone...
  • nshah, on 10/11/2007, -1/+40Greg Packer will be the first one in line at the beach.
  • scrimaxinc, on 10/11/2007, -1/+38I actually want to see a map of where these bad boys have been. Anyone? Also, I wonder how many wackjobs are out in the ocean with nets right now trying to make some cash.

    30,000 ducks @ $100 each = 3 million dollars to be made

    Damn I wish I had a boat...
  • spearce, on 10/11/2007, -0/+24I'd rather just dig up $200,000,000 in coal from my front yard while I wear a bear suit so that my parents don't sell me to Paris Hilton.
  • jjremy, on 10/11/2007, -0/+24not very accurate but it gives a rough idea.
    http://img.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2007/06_03/duckGPX2706_468x280.jpg
  • SpaceDreamer, on 10/11/2007, -1/+25I, for one, ....
  • chrisbtig, on 10/11/2007, -0/+24This story is why I love Digg. Totally fascinating, and it's unlikely I would have seen it anywhere else. Thanks Diggers!
  • Noncentz, on 10/11/2007, -1/+24must see duck armada video....pls post Diggers.... u must..... brains...braaaaiiinnsss
  • KerrAvon, on 10/11/2007, -1/+24Flotilla of plastic duckies, I'm awfully fond of you.
  • 16777216, on 10/11/2007, -3/+26I got some time on my hands once, drove me nuts.
    No mater what I did it wouldn't come off.
    Then I found the one thing that got the time off my hands.. blood, lots and lots of blood.
  • fuzheado, on 10/11/2007, -0/+23Am I the only one to think ... Pixar film forthcoming?
  • inactive, on 10/11/2007, -1/+23Well, he has enough time on his hands to track the ducks because it is part of his job. The reasoning is explained by Simon Boxall later in the article when he says, "They are a nice tracer for what the currents are doing as they travel around the world, and currents are what determines our climate, and cycles of carbon."
  • btgoss, on 10/11/2007, -3/+25I hold the universe together by sheer force of will....
  • Otto, on 10/11/2007, -2/+23Plastic ducks are not trash. Moron.
  • UtahApocalyse, on 10/11/2007, -0/+21You get the boat ill weave a net we split 50/50 !
  • brocej, on 10/11/2007, -0/+21I can see it now. Some guy with a shed load of plastic ducks and a tub of bleach making his own 'AMAZING - Unique 100% GENUINE - 15 year old floating ducks from cargo wreck' to sell for $100 on eBay.
  • AntBing, on 10/11/2007, -2/+23Stop concerning yourself with what other people do.
  • YooHoo86, on 10/11/2007, -0/+21They predicted this over 10 years ago back in 1994, when I did this for current events way back......simply astonishing.
    http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9502EFDF1039F93BA25751C1A962958260
  • sundancekid503, on 10/11/2007, -1/+20cue [Wagner - Ride of the Valkyries.mp3]

    It was nice knowing you Britain....
  • inactive, on 10/11/2007, -1/+18Hey if this was heading towards france they would have surrendered already :p
  • sketchydave, on 10/11/2007, -0/+16Watch out, there could be some executives from the Discovery Channel looking for fresh ideas for the Deadliest Catch
  • aldenhg, on 10/11/2007, -1/+17This just goes to show - they don't make plastic Chinese ducks like they used to.
  • Xeth, on 10/11/2007, -0/+16Science! It works, bitch.
  • nshah, on 10/11/2007, -1/+16Hurricanes lost their appeal.
  • ahknight, on 10/11/2007, -1/+16Mmmm. Kinky.
  • thcobbs, on 10/11/2007, -0/+14We track ever nut, bolt, wrench, glove, etc in space.... why not track a few sea-faring rubber duckies. Hell, these guys have logged more miles than many sailors.
  • randf, on 10/11/2007, -0/+12Patos del Muerte
  • xmkatx, on 10/11/2007, -0/+12I wanna see a picture/video of the plastic duck armada!
  • ShooterMcGavin, on 10/11/2007, -0/+12Why the hell hasn't someone created an animation of their journey and posted it on the web yet!?
  • reconbot, on 10/11/2007, -0/+12Well.. ok you win.
  • tizz66, on 10/11/2007, -0/+11If you read the article, you'll see they actually have some scientific value in tracking currents.
  • nodonoug, on 10/11/2007, -0/+11I doubt this was all that he did (especially during the years when the ducks were trapped in the arctic, moving about a mile a day).
  • manicmarvin, on 10/11/2007, -0/+10According to the Battleduck Galactica FAQ, the ducks are planning to attack the ravens at the Tower of London. This could be a disaster if they win.
  • diggerphelps, on 10/11/2007, -4/+14I'll bet Ze Frank is behind this...
  • NiGHTSChao, on 10/11/2007, -0/+10:( I want one
  • IdeoPraxist, on 10/11/2007, -0/+9The article mentions the ducks have been mapped over the past 15 years. Can anyone dig up that map?
  • thcobbs, on 10/11/2007, -3/+12Now isn't that a duckie dish to put before the King!
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