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ANNULAR SOLAR ECLIPSE

Niagara Falls, New York

May 10th, 1994

I guess this qualifies as my first central eclipse chase though I can't really claim to have put much effort or planning into it.

During an extended trip around the world I was already scheduled to fly out of Buffalo on the morning of 10th May. I found out about the eclipse after booking. I only needed to make a slight 24hr delay to my itinerary to see the annular eclipse during a planned visit to Niagara Falls. I stayed in New York one day longer and then caught the train to Buffalo on May 9th. On May 10, I took the bus from Buffalo to Niagara Falls. The partial eclipse began during the hour long public bus trip. I watched through the bus window. I could see cloud in the distance forming over the falls. The falling temperature was condensing a thick fog out of the water mist over the top of the falls.

As the bus approached the falls, the Sun disappeared into the fog. I didn't have a lot invested in this event so I wasn't too disappointed. I was still going to see the falls.

As a waterfall, Niagara was a dead loss. It is so ugly. The authorities spoilt the natural environment by building these stupid theme parks and hotels all around - a veritable concrete jungle! It's the epitome of bad taste. I've also heard that Niagara Falls gets turned off at night. I thought I was going to see a real waterfall, not a glorified water feature.

At mid-eclipse the fog thinned enough so that I could watch a faint impression of the eclipse without a solar filter while wearing dark yellow coloured Bollé glacier glasses.

Later that day I headed for the airport and jumped a plane to Seattle on my way to six weeks trekking and touring in Alaska.

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