Day 10 - The Main Event!!!

Interestingly, I'm writing this post over a month later from Disney's Ft. Wilderness Campground.  After returning home, we have had a hurricane, and lots of other stuff all happening, keeping us incredibly busy.   In fact the Pineapple only got a wash post trip two days ago (can't show up at the campground looking all scruffy!)

Anyway, Aug 21, the day of the eclipse.  The evening before we had scoped out a spot and loaded a bunch of stuff into Lucy's Dad's car (pop up tent, chairs, etc.)  He was up early and headed down the beach to secure a spot for us.  They got a good one right at the waters edge with a great view across the lake.

Tommy Chilling out, waiting.

As is was before 7, it wasn't crowded yet, but all the serious astronomers had there spots scoped out and were setting up.   Only 5 hours until it starts!    I had been waiting for this day for many years, especially after the early 2000s when my friend Matt went to Aruba to see one.  He had said it was a MUST SEE before you die.   He had a massive heart attack about a year later and passed at 44 years old.   That's the kind of stuff that makes you re-prioritize things....so here we are!

As it started, you don't notice any change until at least 3/4 or more of the sun is blocked, then the light starts to dim and crescent shadows are everywhere....

 My daughter took these shots with her camera and a pair of the eclipse glasses in front of the lens.

 By now there was an eeire light about and off in the distance I saw the Cumulus clouds go from buffy white, to grey, to gone in the matter of a couple of minutes.   A minute later I could see them again so I knew the shadow was getting really close.   Everyone is watching up with the eclipse glasses and in that last second of sunshine you get the Diamond Ring!  The one shot is from my SIL's phone, the more complete image is one my daughter took

To say is was spectacular is an understatement.   It is hard to put into words what goes on in the next 2 and half minutes of totality but it goes by pretty quick as every one is trying to drink it all in as there is so much going on around you as it is happening.  The crickets and frogs all go into night time song, there is an orange 360 degree sunset which gives everything an other worldly glow.  

But to look up and see the Sun's Corona with you naked eyes is a true celestial marvel...

Again these shots were with my daughter's camera, although Lucy may have taken them..

 All too soon the Moon's shadow has passed and it is the same sequence of events now in reverse.  We hung around for about another hour, and then started packing it all out.   By 4PM Lucy, her sister, and the kiddo were horseback riding.....

We had a nice dinner and then a campfire and off to bed as everyone was up early and we were packing out in the morning to head home.    We had an aggressive schedule on the return trip as up until now we had done about a max of 380 miles in one day (fraught with the Fuel Injection issues no less).  The next to days were going to be 500+ miles each day....