What's to see, sitting on an island, waiting for a total solar eclipse? Come with me and finish my canoe trip to experience the longest possible total solar eclipse time in Oregon last summer.
We pushed our canoe off at dawn, into Oregon's Willamette River - headed for an island, to camp overnight. That lets us watch how the birds, insects, and other river life experience sunset and sunrise. And we can compare that to what we might see during the total solar eclipse. I would never have guessed all that we would see!
Eclipse Parties on the River
We heard them before we saw them! Zoooom!
That's crazy, flying up and down the river that way!
That's even crazier, flying THAT way!
It's a plane party! The pilots were able to land and take off from that tiny gravel bar!
Other parties were more quiet!
A high-flying airliner made a wide loop, so passengers could see the eclipse better.
This group floated down in kayaks early in the morning.
Some folks were even watching the eclipse from a hot air balloon!
The Eclipse
It begins!
The first signs that the moon was moving in front of the sun, were changes in the shadows. They started getting more sharp - and then they each took on the curve of the moon!
We entertained ourselves endlessly, making ourselves into human pinhole cameras. We could see the moon's shadow without looking at the sun.
I brought along a pie pan with little holes. It worked the best at showing the curve of the moon moving across the face of the sun. Bonus - the pan started our trip with a pie in it, lol.
It's here!
The total eclipse was going to last only 162 seconds! This old magazine article explained how our brains stop processing a single image after about 8 seconds. So to really imprint the eclipse in our memory, we needed to look away -- to look at the unique effects of the eclipse around us -- and then look back at the sun for another 8 seconds. And then look around again, then back at the sun, over and over. And don't waste time taking pictures!
Here's the link to that article in Astronomy magazine. It's worth reading. And here's the other best advice I read about how to watch the eclipse.
And there it is! Totality! Spectacular! Even with all the advice, I still took 1 picture with my phone. That's it in the lower left corner, lol. My sister took 2 quick pictures, right away, to leave time to enjoy the whole eclipe directly. Her picture - the one in the center - turned out great! And she was grateful that she didn't allow herself to be distracted by trying to take the perfect photo or video of the totality.
It's gone!
It takes awhile to come down from the excitement after the totality. It's all we could talk about. We keep watching how the shadows change as the moon overlaps less and less of the sun. We're already planning to see the next total solar eclipse! It's totality will last over 4 minutes!
Eventually the eclipse was totally over. And there was no sign that it had ever happened. It's had to imagine how people in the past must have felt after experiencing a total eclipse, especially if they were out by themselves at the time.
We were surprised how the brightness of the day did not drop at all -- until right at the totality, when the moon completely blocked the sun. During the totality, we saw swallows go out over the river -- hunting for insects, just like at sunrise and sunset. We heard birds, like doves, and insects, like cicadas, calling in the low light, too. The world didn't get totally dark. Instead, it looked like sunset - but in all directions, all 360 degrees around us. And there, up in the sky, a flat black disk, surrounded by incredible rays of light.
Moving On Down The River
What a great discovery! The riverside hop farm and tasting room of Rogue Ales Brewery! I enjoy growing hops myself. So I headed back here the next weekend for the hop harvest! Stay tuned to see that -- a hop farm is an interesting place.
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Our eclipse canoe trip started with a ferry -- and here it ends with an even more unusual way to travel on the water. This doesn't seem very practical. But it sure looks like a lot of fun!
Thanks for Walking - and Canoeing - With Me
I hope you enjoyed this canoe float down the Willamette River to see the total eclipse of the sun!
Counting our own canoe, how many modes of transportation did we see on our eclipse trip? The ferry, small airplanes, large planes way up high, a hot air balloon, kayaks, motorboats, jet skis, motor boats, and whatever that last contraption is. And not a single automobile! That's memorable, even without an eclipse!
The next eclipse over North America will happen on April 8, 2024. Let's hope for clear weather for everyone on that day! If you have any chance at all to go see the totality, do it. A partial eclipse doesn't compare.
- Have you traveled on any of the modes of transportation we saw on our canoe trip?
- Would you ride that last water jet contraption?
- Did you see the solar eclipse in August?
- Do you live anywhere near the next total solar eclipse?
- Did you see the Lunar Eclipse on Wednesday night?
Haphazard Homestead
foraging, gardening, nature, simple living close to the land
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It's totally overwhelming the force this walk and canoeing carries with it. I really enjoyed this fabulous walk with you. It was indeed Spectacular! as you have already mentioned.
I really appreciate your paradigm to see nature and world. I felt myself that I was there on the Island experiencing your heartfelt experiences you underwent on that wonderful Island.
Thank You so much, I really loved this walk.
Thanks so much, @cheema1! I'm glad you enjoyed coming along with me on my eclipse canoe trip. I'm fortunate to live in such a pretty place. I'm glad that our state laws let people camp overnight on the islands for free, too. When people are able to get close to nature, they want to keep it from being ruined. Enjoy the nature around you! :D
WOW! Really great adventure indeed! It's good to see those transportation during your eclipse trip!
I myself experienced the solar eclipse in Thailand very long time ago! Yes, very excellent moment and we were all exciting! Your and your sister's photos are very great. It's unfortunate that I had no photo of it! The sky was dark and looked like we were in the evening, as you said.
Thanks so much for sharing this wonderful experience with us here! ;))
That's so cool that you got to see a solar eclipse, too! They are such a rare event in someone's life. My sister's photo is so much better than my own. I'm glad she got it! It was funny to see so many different ways of transportation on that trip - but no cars, the most common transportation there is. And so many unexpected ways, too. I never would have guess we would have seen all those planes landing on an island. We were glad we didn't camp on that island! Here's to our Sun and Moon and all the amazing views they give us!
Yeah! It's really wonderful event that I wish to see it again and again! You had very great experience and saw many amazing things during your trip indeed! I would love to join you one day! ;)
It's really amazing and wonderful trip and walk with you, canoe to the Eclipse. I really appreciate your work @haphazard-hstead. Your blog is so captivating and inspirational.
Thanks for sharing this solar Eclipse with us.
I'm glad you enjoyed coming along on my canoe trip to see the eclipse, @anayakhan! I hope everyone can appreciate the nature around them. And we can all enjoy the changing beauty of the sky for free!
Kayaking. Of all the modes of transportation you saw, that's my favorite! I love your eclipse photos. I remember the one in 1963. My mother made us stay in the house with the curtains drawn to prevent us from going blind, so I enjoyed this one!
Wow! That's such an interesting eclipse experience, @melinda010100! With the Internet, it's so easy for people to find out how to watch the Sun safely. Back then, it would have been so much harder to know. In preparing to see this eclipse, I read accounts by people that had really messed up their vision in past eclipses. So I can appreciate your Mom's perspective. I hope you get to see the total eclipse in 2024. It's totally worth traveling to see the totality!
Wow, totally spectacular! You are realy lucky person! We didn´t see anything here in Mexico, but I have to say that we did not made a trip like you :D
I'm lucky, for sure! It was a perfect way to see the eclipse! And I'll go floating down the river again in the summer. It's so pretty out there. Maybe you will see the eclipse in 2024!
Great report, I'm jelaous I wasn't that prepared when I had my chance (it was partial eclipse but still). I'll definitely test out that 8 seconds rule. Not to mention the water jetpack, it looks crazy fun!
Glad you enjoyed my eclipse post, @fiufsciak! I've used that 8 second rule since I learned about it for the eclipse and it does help to keep seeing things. It's funny how our brains are so quick to put things on auto-pilot! I don't think my brain would work fast enough, if I tried to keep my balance on that water jetpack! ; )
That's awesome, you managed to capture the eclipse too. Honestly one of the best shots I've seen. The eclipse over here in ontario canada may as well have been non existant. Looks like it was a fun trip, thanks for the post!
Thanks, @jackdub! I'll tell my sister -- there was such a contrast between our two photos, lol. She is a lot better at taking bird photos, too. She has a lot of practice of taking quick photos when we go bird-watching. It was great canoe trip. And if you are anywhere close to the 2024 eclipse, you won't regret making the effort to see it.
Wow! I would love to have those images on a wall of my home. Simply amazing!
Thanks, @kittynick! I am fortunate to live in a beautiful place. And the colors in late summer are very strong here.
Indeed, you are lucky ;)
At least we can all look up at the sky and enjoy the sunrise, sunset, and the clouds. And I like that we all share the same Moon. It can be so beautiful, too.
Yes, we do :)
Looks like you all had a fab time, thank you for the trip :)
You're welcome, @karenb54! I'm glad our canoe didn't tip over! ; )
Far to much water for my liking lol :)
That canoe is really stable! It can carry 750 pounds (340 kilos) with ease. I've traveled for days in it, in the open water of the Gulf of Mexico and on big lakes in Canada. With some comfortable padding in the middle, I think you would enjoy yourself! Sitting in the middle, you wouldn't even have to paddle -- just enjoy yourself! :D
I hate water so would spend the time panicking lol :)
Uh oh, we better keep you on the land! You can watch all the watercraft floating by. It is interesting how people relate differently to rivers, lakes, and the ocean. The ocean intimidates me -- it's so big and powerful. And there are big creatures in there! :O
dear @haphazard-hstead
good morning, now i have on walk but alonly please com on my friends for walking
Thanks, @kayes12345! I can see that you are making a real comment to me now. That's much better! Have a good day! :D