Last night was the big event. There were two shows – the eclipse and the people who wanted to see it. Holland America offered several talks about the eclipse. By far the most popular was offered by astrophysicist Dr. Adam Burgasser. He offered simple explanations to complex topics and did so with a solid dose of good humor. His first talk a few days ago was very well received. The auditorium was filled. His second talk was yesterday. Word of mouth brought a huge crowd. Every last theater seat was taken. Those who arrived on time found themselves standing in the aisle, packed shoulder to shoulder. When the sun is in total eclipse we can see the corona. There are several interesting features such as the ring of fire, devil’s horns, and others.
The captain did what he could to offer the best views to the most passengers. Word went out. Those on the starboard side would be able to watch the eclipse from their balconies. We are on the port side so we listened carefully to learn where we could get the best views. Half the way through Dr. Burgasser’s presentation, the crew announced the captain had changed his mind. Those on the port side could watch from their balconies. Good for us! (On a ship, there are only two rules. Rule 1: The captain is right. Rule 2: If the captain is wrong, refer to rule 1.)
The eclipse would start about 6:30 PM. We would get 90 seconds of totality. At 6:00 Danita and I scouted the public viewing area on deck 10. People were lined up almost shoulder to shoulder. They were equipped with anything from a pair of cardboard eclipse sunglasses to a tripod holding an elaborate sophisticated camera. The very best viewing was on deck 11, which was reserved for an amateur photographer group that had booked a block of rooms.
— A plentitude of passengers
Danita and I decided to watch from our balcony where we could enjoy the comfort of our deck chairs. This being our third eclipse, I had finally learned that I could not get an amazing picture with a smart phone camera. We would just relax and enjoy the experience.
The eclipse started promptly on time. Viewing conditions were good. The weather was hot and dry. We watched while the sun was slowly blocked by the moon’s shadow. As we approached 90% coverage, the temperature dropped. The breeze picked up. Our world approached twilight. Just before totality, a cloud covered the sun. The cloud stayed for the entire totality and left as the sun started coming back. We never saw the corona, the ring of fire, the devel’s horns, or any of the other intricate features Dr. Burgasser prepared us for.
As one passenger observed at breakfast this morning, “going fishing” and “catching fish” are not the same thing. Danita and I felt a little letdown, but overall we had a great time. Some other passengers had a harder time. (Including Dr. Burgasser). The next eclipse will also be in southern Spain. Totality will be 6 minutes – an incredibility long time. It’s for sure that Danita and I won’t be around to see it. We have other plans for our summer sojourn next year.
Now it’s on to Barcelona.