Eclipse 1999

11th August 1999. L'Ancresse, Guernsey, British Channel Islands.

Guernsey was just outside the zone of totality, but with a promised 99.9% eclipse, hundreds of people made their way to the island's northernmost point to witness the event.

I had the day off work, and took my wife and 4 year-old son up the coast to L'Ancresse common. Although cloudy, I believe this made the event much more interesting, most of it being visible without special glasses.

I managed to get some nice still shots and video footage.

11:10am. At this point I remember commenting that I thought it would be darker. I was constantly switching between still shots and video. Minutes later when the umbra of the Moon's shadow arrived, I thought "Wow, now this is dark".

11:16am. Someone said "look in the West!", and as the darkest point of the event arrived I concentrated on video, panning around the horizon. I remember the "light" warning suddenly coming on in my camcorder's viewfinder, and a group of French students started singing. As the sun peeped out again I got this still shot. The students cheered.

11:19am. It's all over for the British Isles, although the moon's shadow would continue East across Europe, the Middle East, and finally into the Indian Ocean.

There seemed to be a chill in the air for quite a while afterwards. At this point many people drifted off, but I hung around to see what I could see.

11:45am. Most people have gone, but we stay for a picnic and to let my son enjoy himself on the common.

A few cars remain around the edge of the bay. During the darkness this view was dotted with camera flashes. From the carpark on the left, around the bay to the tower on the horizon. That in itself was worth seeing, and happily I have it all on video.

Having been through it, and the distinctly eerie atmosphere that accompanies an eclipse, I can quite understand how frightening it must have been to civilisations that did not know what was happening.

Of course, although at 99.9% it was damn close, I have still not seen a total eclipse. The accompanying diamond ring, Bailey's beads, and the sun's corona, are all things I am determined to witness first-hand one day.