04/12/2024
'I Get It'-I wanted to photograph the April 8th Full Totality Eclipse. It is said Full Totality is the grandeur of an eclipse. So I drove from Stratham, NH to Jackman, Maine 12:30AM Monday Morning. I arrived in Jackman around 4:30AM. A lot of vehicles, yet I was able to get a decent parking spot. So I tried to doze, with not much success.
By 9:00AM Jackman had become very busy for a small town. I had walked about 1/2 mile (5 times) to use a restroom at a local store. I bought something each time I entered (coffee). I didn't just want to use their bathroom and then leave. By 3:00 PM Jackman was infested with people (ugh). As I sat my vehicle and waited for that oh so amazing Full Totality Eclipse so many speak about. It passed my mind, for about a second, "Should I just go?"
Then at 3:20 the eclipse started. It was as if the horses were at the starting gate, then took off. That sun started to disappear more and more. Until it appeared like a crescent moon. And then....
Full Totality happened. For exactly 3 minutes, 20 seconds. And it was the most amazing event that I have ever seen. I guess the 2nd closest was when I flew in a small aircraft around the mountains of the Denali Range in Alaska. Yet this Eclipse was surreal. And totally mesmerizing. After the event I packed up and headed back to Stratham. It was an 8 hour drive back, because the traffic rivaled LA's rush hour.
It was a very exhausting 24 hours. But it was oh so worth it. I get it now why so many say the eclipse in Full Totality is an at least once in lifetime experience that you must see. I am so happy that I did. For I will never forget it.
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Scott