Eclipse report

C

charley

Well-known member
Well, let me tell you--it was "something".

We did drive to Charleston Sunday and had a WONDERFUL dinner at an Italian restaurant. EVERY hotel was at capacity. I had made our reservations in June and I knew where (North Charleston) it was but it was CHEAP. And fine. VERY nice people.

Today it was supposed to rain over the entire coast. SO se just started to drive north (to where our beach place is--70 miles from ctown) and decided to just continue to the condo, unload, and then go back south to Georgetown.

We made a circle through Georgewon ( a Wonderufl Revolutionary War ere ttown) and they were win full swing. People were on the sidewalks at 10AM, lots getting ready, etc.

Unloaded our things and headed back. Traffic had really picked up (12noon) so we just pulled into a big parking lot in Georgetown. Perfect. Our kids met a delightful young man who was in full thrall, having driven from Pittsburgh for this. He hung out with us. our DGD was running around. As the "bite" got bigger out of the sun we all got more excited. There were drifting clouds and when it was near totality, we were yelling at them to go away. It just began to get subtley dark--the shadow got longer and the sky blackish gray. It was wonderful to see the sliver get smaller and smaller and then truly when it was total, it was just mystical and magical.

Then as the sun reappeared DD pointed to the ground and there were "shimmers' of sunlight that looked like a river water moving. It was ALL worth everything we did to do it.

The traffic back to our beach place was bumper to bumper--15 minute trip took an hour.

I may have some pictures and I'll share. DS was in Charlotte and was all set to take them also. It was probably 98% there--don't know about weather.

 
What a great story! Thanks for sharing. Would love to see the pics, but your words describing

are more impactful than a photo.

 
Our experience here in Redding was not so thrilling, We expected somewhere around 85% totality,

so, it was just like a sunny day when all of a sudden a large cloud drifts in front of the sun. C-Span on TV had the NASA folks and others on to explain a lot. They had a plane out over the Pacific along the OR coast, and they had wonderful information and pictures to show total totality, which was awesome. I enjoyed the science part of it with all the tests many had prepared for years to accomplish, from NASA. to the folks who watch the output/input of the electrical and solar grids. They only had a small amount of time to achieve their goals and it all depended on no one making a mistake, and everything going as planned. It was a fun way to start Monday morning, and hubs and I enjoyed sitting in our family room, relaxing, and the dog was very happy to be there with us both. Too, we enjoyed the way they traveled across the US, showing what other communities saw, what people were saying and doing. I loved that so many teachers had their class out for a field trip, and a lot of them made their own eye protection.

 
How did they do the eye protection? Some of what they used to say is not

correct.
It used to be you could use a completely exposed strip of 35mm film. Good luck with finding that now!! Time marches on

 
We were in Charleston downtown at a small park. The clouds

parted off an on, and we had great views up to the last minute or two. Just at totality the clouds moved in, so we couldn't see the corona. Bummer! But, we were visiting our kids, so all wasn't lost. We had a great weekend and had several great meals at some of Charleston's wonderful restaurants thanks to the forethought of our DIL who had made reservations.

 
Amen to the reservations I did not hear whether mcClellanville was cloudy or not.

That was our original target. The park near there was full when we passed it at about 9:30 in the morning.
I have looked at some of my pics but don't have my card reader with me to download.
Where did you eat? One of our kids faves from the past is Xia Bao Biscuit.

 
The Grocery, Stella's and Indaco for dinner; Mercantile and

Mash for brunch. We triied to go to Callie's Biscuits on Monday, but it was packed so we just had some donuts across the street. Lunch was at Bon Banh Mi one day and carryout deli another. Our kids are foodies also, so they find great places whenever we visit. Their (and ours) favorite place is the Butcher and Bee, but we didn't go this time.

 
WILL SEE TOTAL ECLIPSE AGAIN IN 2024!!!!

Home from an amazing trip to see the Total Solar Eclipse at Tennessee Technological University in Cookeville, TN. On a hill, shaded under a tree, reclining in our zero gravity chairs, in breezy 84 degree temps, eating Subway, celebrating with 50 geeked-out amateur astronomers who choose to view from the exact same spot we did - a small subsection of the 10,000+ attendees viewing in the TN Tech Stadium. WE WILL DO AGAIN IN 2024 - that incredible!!!!!! And not just looking at the sun/moon before, during and after - NOT! All around us was the really amazing part. Still blown away by crescents projected through a colander, the Puffs/Bounty tube pin-hole camera images, and the trees. OMG - the trees were the most amazing filters ever! The approaching Total, the darkness and then bright again in 2.5 minutes! The temperature cooled in the "direct" sun. Cheers all around! So very fortunate that we chose to see it! Colleen

 
Yes, they moved downtown about a year ago from north Charleston.

They really like being able to walk to many of the restaurants and shops. They are about a block from the Museum of Charleston. They are still renting but probably will eventually buy a fixer-upper. My DIL is an interior designer and says she wouldn't be happy with anyone else's choices in a renovated house. And, of course, it's a lot cheaper. I'm not familiar with Mt. Pleasant.

 
Mostly, I saw those boxes they make with a pin hole in them. I saw other things

students were fiddling with but the news moves so fast, the boxes were the only thing I recognized. I did hear a teacher say that the students in her class made most of their own protection.

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top