It turns out that 98% is a little anti-climactic when it comes to solar eclipses. No one understands how I managed to schedule our stay in the Tuamotus, where the eclipse was total, for a few days after the event, but we did see it from Mo’orea, where it was something between 98 and 99%. It happened between about 8 and 10 in the morning and it definitely got dimmer, but what it really got was colder. Abraham says that during the Silurian (or some other pre-Permian era) there was a 20% reduction in solar radiation and the whole earth froze over. I can believe it. (Btw, these facts may be slightly off; I didn’t bother to corroborate; it just seemed like an interesting idea).
Anyway here we are, observing the celestial event:
and if that isn’t an album cover, I don’t know what is.
Sea People 
Miss Wisconsin should be so lucky. Y’all rock!
Thanks! What’s a trackback?
So album cover! Tres hip, oui?
I’m loving reading your posts, Christina! Photos are gorgeous. Coolest blog on the web. (Definitely wins the Best-Location-Names Award!) Looking forward to more.
Absolutely an album cover ! But what to call the album ? How about “The Dark of the Sun” ??
That is definitely an album cover! Great photo. I was wondering if you were going to experience the eclipse when I heard on the radio it would be seen in the South Pacific.
I am enjoying your posts so much. There is a sense of vicarious excitement while following along on your exotic adventures, and the poignancy of the deeply personal connections the 5 of you are making with the places and people you meet. On a far more mundane note, I wonder how on earth you are managing to feed the four strapping members of your traveling party while “on the road”!
At enormous expense and with only modest success. Lots of French fries, basically. And, I’m sorry to say, a lot of Coke.
Hi Christina,
I have just used my lunch hour to read and peruse your blog and it sounds fascinating. How nice to be able to do this with your family. I like too hearing of your sons’ admiration or lack thereof of the local cuisine.
Your photographs are terrific and the last one does indeed remind me of a Devo record cover.
Cheers,
Barbara
You and the boys just need electric guitars leaning across your laps. Joan Jett step aside.
…and the perfect band name – “Eclipse”
Hi Christina, I just thought of a name for your group (at the eclipse) or at least a caption for the photo:
The Awesome and the Awed.
(Forgive me, this is my first blog entry!)
Joyce Wilson
initial thoughts:
Holy shit, I’m jealous! Way to get out there, people!
And Sev totally looks like a rock star, so kudos to all those folks giving him lots of attention.
Plus you guys look cool in your eclipse gear.
Have a ball, guys. Assume you will end up in NZ? How cool for Sev’s parents to meet all three kids at once!