NOTE - originally posted in the
Eclipse Weather Prospects thread and moved here once I realized Dan had started this Reports thread.
Eclipse Chase Report - Monday, April 8, 2024
Summary: Despite making plans nine months ago centered around Dallas, I saw the eclipse with my family in Patten, Maine. Skies were completely clear.
Logistics and Forecast: I won't belabor this because the last minute changes and agonizing uncertainty are documented in my earlier posts in the
Eclipse Weather Prospects thread. Suffice to say that the ultimate target was the eastern Maine portion of the path of totality.
Detailed Report:
We left our hotel in Bangor sometime around 8:30am. The initial plan was to take I-95 to Sherman. Sherman was in the path of totality and would have 3:12 of totality, just about 10 seconds shy of the maximum totality closer to the centerline in places like Merrill or Mt. Chase. From Sherman, we would decide whether to head to Patten on route 11, or Island Falls on I-95. I just wanted to beat the traffic and get to Sherman, and then study the map further to find an area that looked good and then have time to get there and scout out a good viewing area.
There were no issues with traffic heading north on I-95. I assume that on a normal day there would be almost no cars in this area of Maine. This time there were plenty, but traffic was moving at or above the 75 mph speed limit. In Sherman, we stopped at a gas station that was packed. We waited quite a while on line for the one restroom, but enjoyed chatting with other eclipse chasers. We topped off the tank and decided to head toward Patten and then possibly cut east to a church parking lot between Patten and Island Falls. On Route 11 north of Sherman, there was a fantastic overlook with a view of the western sky and snow-capped mountains in the background. The road was already lined with cars. I slightly panicked that we were already too late, even though it was only 10:45am. We continued on toward Patten and then drove around looking for a similar high spot, trying unsuccessfully to use the Google Maps terrain overlay for guidance, worried about wasting too much more time. We settled upon a spot that was not quite as good as the one we had seen, but was pretty good. There was a solar farm in front of us, but it overlooked the valley, had an unimpeded view of the southwestern sky where the eclipse would be, and a snow-capped mountain was visible to the south. We were maybe the second car to park along this road, but it eventually became as filled as the first we had seen. In retrospect, we probably had plenty of time, it's just that the first spot was so ideal it filled up quickly.
We watched the eclipse from the beginning. Right before totality, the lighting was so unusual. I can't find the words to describe it. I did not see Bailey's Beads or the "diamond ring" effect this time. When everything went completely black I took my glasses off and although this wasn't my first eclipse I gasped at the sight of totality and I don't mind admitting that tears came to my eyes. In 2017 I did not want to waste any time trying to take pictures; I didn't even have my DSLR with me then. This time, it being my second eclipse and having a minute more of totality than I had last time, I brought my DSLR and tried to take a picture. The shutter wouldn't release. I found myself fumbling around with it to make sure manual focus was on but then I said screw it, I felt like I was already wasting too much time. I took one quick picture with my iPhone but could tell on screen that it looked nothing like what I was actually seeing. I do not even want to look at that or any other pictures because they will supersede the memory of my own visuals. I stopped worrying about pictures so I could just enjoy it. I felt myself shivering a bit, either from the cooler temperatures, or the emotion of the scene, or both. Birds became much more active with their songs as they do at dusk. I heard some animal howl in the woods. Stars were out, and the western horizon glowed orange. I couldn't see a 360 degree sunset because there was a hill behind me. As I stared at totality the light of the corona was blurring the image for me a bit (maybe because my eyes were still moist
) I heard someone in the crowd say something about seeing some red or pink, which I noticed after hearing it (a tiny "spike" at about 5 o'clock on the circle), and realized only later, after hearing it mentioned by others, that it was probably a solar flare. The "diamond" appeared now at the end of totality - I couldn't believe three minutes and twenty seconds (the time of totality at Patten) had already passed, and I was disappointed it was over already.
We left very quickly after totality ended. We stayed only long enough for a family group hug, and for the guy in the car next to us to take a picture of our family for us. We had to pass back through that first crowded spot in Sherman but got through it pretty easily. We made it to I-95 and the trip to Bangor was uneventful. Traffic slowed a few times to a stop, but it was not bumper-to-bumper for any significant distance. I'm surprised it got as congested as it did, considering that we were pretty much on the leading edge of people leaving, and I don't think there were any roads coming into I-95 ahead of us with a big influx of eclipse chasers. I think traffic only added about 15 or 20 minutes at most to our 90 mile trip back to Bangor. We enjoyed a celebratory dinner at Longhorn Steakhouse.
Random Thoughts:
- At the gas station in Sherman, I overheard part of a conversation between an eclipse chaser and the cashier. The cashier must have said she couldn't watch the eclipse because she had to work. The guy said to her "If a partial eclipse of even 99% is like seeing a lightning bug, totality is like getting struck by lightning. Get your ass out there and watch it!"
- On that note - so few people realize the significant difference between a partial eclipse and a total eclipse. They don't understand why it's worth traveling to the path of totality, when they can see the partial at home. If someone tells me about enjoying the partial eclipse and how cool it was, I'm not going to ruin their memory of the experience by telling them it's nothing compared to totality. But if anyone ever talks like they think I’m crazy to travel so far to see it when I could have just seen it at home, you can bet I will straighten them out about it
- In retrospect I was too worried about things that turned out fine - like traffic, availability of services in rural areas, snow depth and mud after the recent snowstorm, etc. And I probably didn't need to be as worried about finding a spot. I might have had time to go up to Mt. Chase or find some other higher point with a better view. But at the end of the day you're just looking up at the sky, so I guess the rest of the locale really doesn't matter too much. And our spot was quite good. I probably underestimated the importance of being on high ground and not in the middle of the trees. I did not end up in the middle of the trees, I’m just saying I should have done a bit more site selection analysis in advance. But that would have been difficult, considering I didn't even choose a final target region until Sunday/Monday.
- I don't want to diminish the experience in any way. But I guess it was inevitable that nothing could match the awe of the first one, because I had no idea what to expect that first time.
- During totality, I heard a vehicle drive by behind me on the road we were on. How could somebody drive along and not stop to look at it?!? Even if it was a commercial vehicle and people had to work, how could you not pull over for three minutes? Unless it was a first responder, there is no explanation…
- I was so happy to give my wife and children this experience. They were with me in 2017 too. But the kids were seven years younger, which makes a huge difference - my son was only 14 then, and my twin girls were only 10. They appreciated it much more this time, and I'm sure they will retain it more.
- The late change in plans from Texas to New England didn't end up wasting as much money as I was worried it would. Even with the original Texas plans, I was prepared to waste two hotel nights to make sure I could be in a clear area. I was able to cancel one of the hotels in the middle of last week. I wasn't able to cancel the other two, but I was always prepared to waste the cost of two room nights. In New England I had hotels in both Bangor and in New Hampshire (for a possible Vermont target). The NH hotel was non-cancellable, but the manager there allowed me to cancel with no charge after all. I had to cancel my flights to TX, but I have flight credits I can use for the family's next trip; in fact my son and I will use flight credits for our storm chasing trip next month.
- The minds that have mapped out the cosmos to the point where these things can be predicted mathematically are amazing to me and far beyond my intellect.
- I love to imagine how a total eclipse must have panicked people in ancient times, before they knew what was happening!
- I hope I am alive and healthy/mobile enough for the next one in 20 years. But I wouldn’t rule out Iceland in 2026 - it’s a place that was already on my bucket list to visit, and from the east coast it’s a shorter flight than to some American cities.