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| Jonathan, me and Tiffany on the pier in Kona |
However, once we landed in Kona we discovered to our dismay and disappointment that they had run out of cars due to the heavy demand. The island was absolutely packed with excited sky gazers. Waikoloa was also crowded with people, many who had camped there to get a good spot.
The apologetic car rental company took us all to our hotels via a shuttle. There was nothing for us to do but grab dinner and go to bed. The following morning, we woke up really early and walked over to the pier where we resigned ourselves to seeing whatever we could.
We found a great spot on the pier and sat down comfortably to wait.
Clouds swept across the sky and we thought we'd miss the eclipse entirely, but seconds before it was to start the skies cleared enough to give us a window to the sun. It all happened just as they said. When it was completely dark, the street lights suddenly came on. The birds became quiet and we could hear the crickets chirping. The temperature dropped. It was such an extraordinary, magical experience.
We walked back to the hotel seeing eclipse sun patterns all over the street coming through between the leaf spaces of the trees.
We heard in the news later that Waikoloa was clouded over and they couldn't see any of the eclipse. Even the observatories on Mauna Kea were not able to catch a glimpse of the eclipse because of cloud cover.
It's really incredible how sometimes everything just works out. I've never won a lottery, but that day is a precious, winning memory to cherish.
That's a very special memory.
ReplyDeleteGlad I read the post. I was outside "7-11" store when they still had one on Kuhio Ave. and I was a bit disappointed with the eclipse. This is in Honolulu. Now, according to your experience, the skies darkened the way it suppose to. The first thought that ran through my mind was, what was all the hoopla about, especially with the doomsday reaction we heard about with the ancients.
ReplyDeleteAn amazing photo of the sun and a happy story. Ahh, was it just 20 years ago our kids were young?
ReplyDeleteamazing serendipity!
ReplyDeleteWell, someone was watching out for you, it seems. And it turned out perfectly! :-)
ReplyDeletewow, beautiful ,, just beautiful
ReplyDeleteWow! Talk about serendipity!
ReplyDeleteI remember the total solar eclipse so well too, the boys were youngsters then, and they invited several friends over to 'watch' it. We used a colander and bit of hole punched paper to see the shadow passing across the sun, by turning our backs on the sun, of course, and then letting the light rays go through the holes casting shadows onto another large sheet of paper. It was so eerie when the sun disappeared. It wasn't a total eclipse where we were, but still a magical experience.
ReplyDeleteWonderful! Glad everything worked out in the end.
ReplyDeleteoh you were so fortunate Kay. Love your blog header btw. I thoought it was part of the Von Trapp family going over the hill (sound of music)!
ReplyDeleteI didn't see you there!
ReplyDeleteAloha from Waikiki;
My new blog posts are not updating in blogger/reader OR links on others' blogs
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Comfort Spiral
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Very nice picture and glad you were not disappointed. Isn't it amazing how at times things just seem to work out in our favor. Have a nice week, we are finally getting the rain we need. Things here has not changed much with hubby, love.
ReplyDeleteI envy you that experience!!!!
ReplyDeleteForgive me for catching up. I'm so slow these days.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful and beautiful experience. Much better than on the other side. And too, I like the shirt, and I too fight for communication. Smells indeed. LOL
You were lucky. Some friends of ours came all the way from New Jersey to see the eclipse and were very disappointed not to get a good view.
ReplyDeleteLucky you ! Some weeks ago we had a moon eclips, but the sky was too cloudy! Well anyway, I was too tired and had gone to bed before it was to happen.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment. Yes it is scary to know that we all live below sealevel, but we have high dikes.
Have a great week, Kay!
Is it 20 years already!?? I remember seeing this in Paraguay. Not sure if it was on this date, but it was a total eclipse too.
ReplyDelete"The birds became quiet and we could hear the crickets chirping. The temperature dropped."
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful for you to experience this as a family, and to get a photo the observatories missed.
Yes, a winning memory indeed.
— K
Kay, Alberta, Canada
An Unfittie's Guide to Adventurous Travel
Some things are just meant to be. I would not have even thought about how it might effect the birds and animals. No one informs them. Really interesting.
ReplyDeleteI'm not surprised you were able to experience this. Good things come to those who wait, and plan well...
ReplyDeleteKay, this is so true. "It really IS incredible how sometimes everything just works out." Those times are the best!
ReplyDeleteIt's not surprising that a family such as yours would experience such good karma as you did that day.
ReplyDeleteSuch wonderful photos and family photos, too. I love your sense of humour!
ReplyDeleteI was living on the Big Island at the time, lived near Mountain View, the rainy side. We drove over to Punalu'u early that morning and found a good place to look out over the ocean where the sun would rise. Cloudy. At that time of year it was hardly ever cloudy in the morning in Ka'u.
ReplyDeleteMountain View area very often was cloudy. We missed the eclipse but people in the Mountain View area pretty much had a good view. Even though we couldn't see the sun, the early morning darkness and quiet was an experience in itself.
Best Wishes