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DESCRIPTION The Getaway Magazine / Wild Frontiers 2001 Eclipse Adventure started with departure from Lanseria Airport, Johannesburg for Kariba, Zimbabwe in a vintage DC3 aircraft named Delaney. Because of this the tour group was limited to 26 persons, and was needless to say fully booked within days of booking opening.
The second stage of the adventure was to spend three idyllic days on a houseboat cruisng the game rich Matusadona shoreline of Kariba Dam before transferring by road to a tented camp at Mvuu Lodge, located in the Lower Zambezi Game Management Area (GMA) of Zambia.
Stage three would be the observation of the eclipse from the Chongwe River bank, close to the centreline and near the intercept of the centreline with the mighty Zambezi River.
Stage four consisted of general post-eclipse chilling out in the undeveloped and pristine Lower Zambezi National Park, before returning to Kariba by Road and then Johannesburg by air. |
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Day 5 - 21 June (ECLIPSE DAY)
I was first up - clear skies! No moon visible in the east as it was too close to the sun. Much more filter making, using all of the available Mylar, cereal boxes, cardboard strips and glue. In the end, almost everyone had filters for at least their binoculars.
After breakfast the advance party left for the pre-surveyed location on the banks of the Chongwe River, about 16km further downstream. The rest of the group were to follow in the busses, together with lunch and Zambezi's. The location was excellent, GPS co-ordinates obtained and a last minute predictions done. Equipment unpacked, compass bearings obtained and the best locations chosen. Lunch was taken early and then the group moved down to the banks of the river to await first contact. Everyone, under penalty of 6 Zambezi's for every flash, placed black tape over camera flashes!
First contact was right on time, and soon the tiniest bite could be seen on the Sun's western limb. Gradually the partial phase deepened and the ambient light dimmed and became greyer. At about 70%, some baboons came down to the river to drink, and the butterflies disappeared. Crescents appeared under the bushes. The feeling of unreality became more intense as the light continued to fade. Birds were quiet, the bush became silent.
"Baily's Beads!"
"Filters Off!"
"Diamond Ring!"
were the cries, and in a rush totality was on us - only time for two quick shots of the diamond ring, and then reset f/stop, reset shutter speeds, and into the totality photo sequences, with the tape recorder counting down the seconds remaining.
The symmetrical corona with many many spikes in all directions, prominences everywhere, an indigo sky tinged with reddish-orange for the full 360 degree horizon, and this black orb where the Sun used to be.
The different bird sounds, sounds of frogs croaking in the river and the wow's and aah's and excitement of the group, most of whom had never seen totality before, some who had been clouded out in Europe in 1999 all added to the unreal and awesome experience of totality.
Dark, but not so dark. And all dominated by the magnificent corona and the red prominences extending all around the Moon's edge.
"Diamond Ring!"
"Baily's Beads!"
"Filters On!"
and it was over - 3 minutes 24.5 seconds was what we had received, and it had felt like only 30 seconds.
The sudden brightening was almost frightening as the Moon's shadow rushed eastward over us. The spontaneous applause by the group was tinged by a sadness that we would not be able to stand in the Moon's shadow for another 531 days. There was a feeling of euphoria as champagne corks popped, yet a feeling of desolation that the beauty of the eclipse had been experienced for too short a time. Then it all came out in a rush - "I saw this ..."; "I saw that ..." Did you see that ...." "Wasn't the corona beautiful?" "Weren't the prominences awesome?" "How many prominences did you see?" The birds, the sounds, some still photographing the waning partial phases.
But - all had been touched by the shadow of the Moon, and the wonder of a total solar eclipse. There were tears, there was joy, there was wonder, and there was amazement. The sceptics had been silenced. Those who wondered why this bunch of mad people had endured the long journey over impossible roads just to see an eclipse now understood.
And the final thought and question, - "When is the next one?" - "Where is the next one?"
Then the Zambezi's - lots of them!
The trip back to Mvuu was full of excitement; the supper was full of chatter as the group relived their experiences. Glenn's group had had a magnificent spot virtually on the centreline, and the Australians in camp had also had a good spot and excellent viewing.
Late to bed after many Zambezi Lagers.
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