One of the most exciting moments we've experienced as a family was to fly to the Big Island in Hawaii from Chicago on July 10th, 1991 to see the total solar eclipse in Kona. We were completely surprised and touched when the flight attendant brought a big bottle of champagne for us to take with us saying she was impressed with our wonderful family. Gosh...
When we arrived on the Big Island, we found that the Budget rental car we had reserved was not available because too many people had come to see the eclipse.
We were disappointed because we'd planned to drive to Waikoloa which was recommended as one of the prime spots to view the eclipse.
Ah well... we got up early the following morning and decided to just walk to the pier and view the eclipse from Kona.
However, it turned out to be one of the BEST places to view the eclipse. Waikoloa had clouded over along with Mauna Kea where the astronomers had gone. Totality was actually almost directly over Kona.
It was an amazing experience! Tiffany and Keola loved seeing the bright morning light go dim and then turn to night again. We saw a sparkling, red corona when it reached totality and lasted an incredible 6 minutes 53 seconds.
Birds stopped singing and went to sleep. Crickets began to chirp.
I just saw this in my 1991 journal: "This was the greatest show "off Earth" that I have ever seen. It can be best described as a sparkling diamond studded anniversary ring with specks of rubies and opals on it. Perhaps we can get together in 2017 in North Carolina to see the next one."
And then the sun slowly came out again leaving crescent shadows on the ground.
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We were therefore excited when we learned that there would be another total solar eclipse close to Chicago on August 21, 2017. (We had KC decorate her glasses with a protective paper plate shield. We'd read that children should have more protection in case the glasses shifted.) Art insisted we needed to fly to Illinois to see this historic event.
Scientists had already predicted that the next total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024 would pass over Indiana.
"Expect us to come and visit you again on April 8th, 2024," said Art.
Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances, we'll be in Illinois in May and then again in August. We really couldn't make another trip to Illinois in April.
Sigh...
Poor Art. He was very disappointed... very, very disappointed.
On top of all this, our daughter said they would miss it too. Our granddaughter could not afford to miss classes on April 8th. Our son-in-law couldn't take the day off from his job. Our daughter was also working.
Sigh...
I recently saw a box of our souvenirs from July 10, 1991 and in it, I found our eclipse viewing cards.
Wouldn't Tif and family like to have it? I told Tif that Chicago's viewing would begin at 12:51 and peak viewing would be around 2:07 PM. Their eclipse will be about 94%. (I found this map on the NASA website.)
"Yes!" she said. 😀 So I packed the eclipse viewers and immediately sent them to her.
Well, I guess Art will just have to experience this vicariously.
Are you in the path of the eclipse? Do you have your eclipse glasses ready?
POSTSCRIPT:
After Tiffany received the viewing cards I'd sent, she discovered that the Public Library was giving eclipse viewing glasses out for free. She was able to get three of them. They are now totally ready for the Great North American Eclipse.
Sigh... I'll be looking forward to seeing photos of what you all see... safely.
It’s a northern hemisphere select event - not coming our way at all 🥲. The next one to be seen in Australia will be in 2028!
ReplyDeleteHey... You might tempt Art to come in 4 years. LOL!
DeleteThe last one we saw in UK was in 1999.
ReplyDeleteYou are lucky to have seen two! I remember one partial one as a kid when all we could use was a hole poked in a piece of paper to view it. In 2017, my eldest and I drove to the path of totality only to have it cloud up about 15 minutes after the moon just started moving across the sun and it was raining by the time of totality. Still made the hair on my arms stand straight up when it happened. I seriously thought about going to see it this time around though it is a lot further away but both kids are in school and my wife will be working. So I bought glasses anyway and plan to stand out behind my house and watch it all by myself. They said it will be 89% totality here and on the forecast maps, we should have a cloudless day to view it. My next chance to see totality, for the first time, won't be for another 20 years. I may go my entire life without seeing totality.
ReplyDeleteWe are in the path and glasses are ready! -Christine cmlk79.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteLucky you!!!
DeleteYour description of an eclipse brings back memories. I remember birds going quiet. I remember being in a middle school class and looking out the school window.
ReplyDeleteWe will only get a bare shadow of the eclipse here in central California, but that's okay. Those natural events are great if you are in the vicinity, but I'm certainly not going out of my way to see them.
ReplyDeleteA blogger who I read lives in Washington and has taken a train (2 trains actually) across the nation to be in Arkansas with her sister for the eclipse. She has written much about her preparations, the trip, and now getting in place for the event. I hope she is not disappointed. At least she has gotten a nice trip and visit out of it. We heard on the news last night that there may be weather creating the inability to fully see the eclipse.
I live in direct path this time. We have 1000’s visiting. Look up Russellville, AR and see.
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh! You are one of the TOP #10 Eclipse Viewing areas in the country! Lucky you!
DeleteOur area will be close to totality, but at the moment I am not planning to view or photograph it. I did that in 2021, and while it was something to do, I can pass it up this time;. I guess I could change my mind, but I don’t have a lot of time.
ReplyDeleteCould you write a name to identify yourself, please. There was an eclipse in 2021? Was this in Canada?
DeleteI hadn't really planned on viewing the eclipse. I think it is wonderful to see it but I won't be viewing it this year. I love the photo you posted of the eclipse you saw, that had to be exciting for you all!
ReplyDeleteI am not in the path of the eclipse. However, it has affected friends of ours who were flying out of the Atlanta airport his weekend. They were told to get there 3 hours early due to the crowds of folks flying to get to the eclipse area! YIKES!
ReplyDeleteOur local news states we are in the 16th best area of the country for the eclipse. It has overwhelmed my small town. All the motels and Airbnb's in the area were booked a year ago. Even campgrounds (we are in a rainy season with temps in the 40's) are full. They are expecting the population of our county to triple or more. The communities have had to put up extra cell towers for emergency services. We were all told to stock up on groceries and gasoline and medications. And warned the traffic will be unbelievable. Family that were driving in have changed their minds. Will it really be all that? I have no idea.
ReplyDeleteWe get about 99% here. We are using my husband's welding helmets to view. Picture us two old fogies standing out on the field with helmets on, staring into space. No, no photos of us, please.
ReplyDeletePlease be careful with those helmets. I just found this article about welding helmets: "“The only ones that are safe for direct viewing of the Sun with your eyes are those of Shade 12 or higher. These are much darker than the filters used for most kinds of welding,” NASA wrote in an eclipse guide published ahead of the 2017 total solar eclipse."
DeleteHi Kay, Yes, we are in the path and have family coming in to watch it with us. And yes, we have our special glasses ready. We've seen partial eclipse before, but this will be the first time to see total. I hope it doesn't get cloudy. I know it's a historical event and I'm anxious to see it, but to be honest, the pandemic was historical enough for me.
ReplyDeleteA few years ago Kansas City was "the" spot for a solar eclipse... next Monday we will get about 95%. We have glasses from last time when we sat out in our cul-de-sac for the whole event ... with our kids, neighbors etc. Same plans for this time!! Lots of the local school districts purchased glasses and the kids will be able to watch!!
ReplyDeleteSigh... I believe we're getting 30% in Hawaii.
DeleteThis is a wonderful recounting of your Kona totality trip! I enjoyed it enormously, and seeing you all that much younger. I'm sure Art the adventurer must be disappointed this time. Best wishes to you all. Thanks for sharing and aloha from townside. I'm enjoying the Merrie monarch. How about you?
ReplyDeleteMy cousins just wrote me that their late brother who was a Kumu Hula was recognized at the Merrie Monarch last night. One of the other kumu hulas asked their permission to have their dancer use his mele for her dance performance. So coooool!
DeleteI guess we'll be at about 24% but it won't be noticable, and it will be cloudy anyway. I'm good with just seeing photos this time.
ReplyDeleteYou have great family stories though.
I've got my glasses. Beautiful photo of the one you caught. If it's not cloudy, we should be 87%. Funny how the birds quiet and the night insects chirp. (Our neighborhood power went out for an hour tonight... I thought maybe the eclipse came early.) I think sunrise on a clear day to see the sun shining under the clouds, then above the clouds on Haleakala is really cool. So nice that your relative was recognized at Merrie Monarch. Did you know there are more Japanese hula schools than on Hawaii? Blog idea: how about some photos of your Mom's Japanese writing describing pictures. I'm still blown away at how beautiful and small that writing was when you showed me at lunch so long ago. Linda in Kansas
ReplyDeleteI do know that there are a LOT of hula halaus in Japan which is amazing (and wonderful) to me. Mom's writing is still incredible even with dementia. It's all amazing to me.
DeleteI hope you get to see some of the eclipse. Art was reading about the 1991 Kona eclipse and saw that it was one of the longest recorded at over 6 minutes. Right now, it looks like it'll be totally clouded over here on Oahu at 7:12 AM tomorrow. I think we're getting a little over 20% or something like that. Darn! And we don't have our eclipse cards.
Here in Walla Walla, SE WA state the eclipse will be only a quarter of the sun and it's been cool, cloudy spring here so even that may not be visible. Fortunately at my age, 82, I have seen others so I can't really complain; oh well, maybe a little. Haha.
ReplyDeleteWe only have 20% coverage, and plus it will be cloudy, so it's no big deal around here. Love the paper plate!
ReplyDeleteHello, again, Kay. Total Solar Eclipse hopping sounds cool, but sorry for missing the third time. How was yesterday in Hawai? I still remember the mysterious sensation when I experienced Annular Solar Eclipse here in Nara in 2012. As the sun blackened, wind blew and the ring of fire was beautiful.
ReplyDeleteYoko