Experiencing an eclipse is just that – an experience. Whether it is total or partial – or whether it is solar or moon. It is an interesting moment to experience on this Earth we live. Today, Monday, August 21, we will have a total eclipse to be viewed across most of North America. It has been anticipated, talked about and the crowds are lining up in different parts. Whitey and I have had a few viewings of eclipses in the past.
A more memorable solar view was when we were in the San Blas Islands (Kuna Yala), located on the Caribbean side of Panama. Years later we would spend more time there but this was our first visit to this beautiful archipelago with its indigenous indians. It was mid-July, 1991 and we had been there for about 2 months. This was way before internet and we did not have any access to any media or news. (Which is a good thing, most of the time.) We had plans to move our boat from the islands back to Portobello on the main land. Whitey went ashore the afternoon before to check out with the Port Captain which was necessary when departing the Kuna Yala. He said ‘But tomorrow is not a good day to go. An eclipse will be happening’. This conversation was in Spanish and took Whitey a minute to understand what he was saying. First thought through our heads is ‘How do they know (it will be an eclipse)?’ Second thought was ‘Why (can’t we leave tomorrow)?’
How they knew about the eclipse we never figured out, since this remote island location did not really get news or media updates then. They just knew that it was a sun and moon event. Whitey asked the Port Captain ‘Why couldn’t we leave?” He said it was bad luck for us to be out on that day. Everyone should stay inside for the day with no work and no play. That’s ok. Whitey checked out anyway. We went into the little tienda to purchase some items and a few other of the local people said the same thing. ‘Don’t go. You need to stay
inside’. We knew the Kuna’s were very superstitious people and this was proving it. But in typical Max and Whitey fashion, we were on a schedule and needed to get somewhere by a certain day. So the next morning – we left!
It was about a 6 hour motor sail to our destination of Portobello. We had with us a friend who was working at the near by Smithsonian research center and wanted a lift. It really was a very surreal day as Whitey, Max and Bronwyn motored along on Harmony Too. There was not even a breath of wind. I remember a strange haze in the sky and a more than usual, hot and muggy temperature. And looking around, there were absolutely no boats out. Usually we would see at least 8-10 kayucos moving from one island to another. But on eclipse day, they were not out and about. They were inside their huts and flying their spiritual flags. So it was just us on our boat as far as the eye could see.
For our location of the world it was a partial eclipse. We had 2 sextants on board the boat. We use these to look directly into the sun and get a sun fix so we could plot our latitude and longitude. (Yes, we were pre-GPS). We removed the glass from the sextants and looked through them so we wouldn’t damage our eyes and yes, we could see the moon partially 
covering the sun. Very cool to be able to see it. The entire day remained just strange though. We could understand why the Kuna’s didn’t want to be out. The strangest thing was half way through our day we saw something big in the water up ahead. As we moved closer to it, we couldn’t figure out what it was. A floating log? No. We got closer and ‘oh my God! It is a dead pig!’ Yep, pink, bloated and floating with its legs up in the air. Nothing bad happened as the Kuna’s were implying but our day just got stranger!
We will be on our dinghy floating on the St. John’s River in Florida for today eclipse. But if we see a floating pig – I’m out of there!
Just living the adventure!
