Traveling for the TOTAL Solar Eclipse - Was it worth it?

[@astromatheo_pl6782]

There is truely something special about totality. Magnetic, epic... Can't feel it on photos. You just have to see it by yourself

[@DrewMestel]

I couldn't agree more. It's a truly indescribable and even visceral event to experience. That's partially while I felt I needed to try to document and share my thoughts, with the hope to instill that same feeling in others, or maybe even inspire them to chase another total solar eclipse of the future themselves. Thanks for watching and sharing your thoughts.

[@astromatheo_pl6782]

@@DrewMestel I was lucky to go to Chile for 2019 eclipse and we were at La Silla observatory at the TSE event. Best day of my life and visiting Chile (capital of world astronomy) was probably best trip of my life either. With VLT, ALMA and seeing the southern Milky Way, the Andes.... TSE's are great opportunities to combine with a good trip

[@DrewMestel]

​@@astromatheo_pl6782If I understand correctly, isn't Chile one of the lowest light pollution locations, often used for astronomical observation? Definitely a place I'd love to visit. And yes, definitely a great experience you got to have.

[@babycowgomoo8757]

Can't wait for the eclipse build update. Cleanest mf eclipse I've ever seen

[@DrewMestel]

Great! Updates on the way! 🙌

[@jxckhwinkler5557]

Great work cuz! Really enjoyed watching and hearing about your eclipse experience! Let’s catch up sometime soon!

[@DrewMestel]

Glad to hear from you and that you enjoyed Jack! Thanks for watching 👍

[@RobFaustEclipse]

Not the usual "Eclipse" content 😂 Great video, as always. We caught a great view from Kerrville TX. You did a great job articulating my own thoughts/feelings from that day. What a great experience

[@DrewMestel]

That's the idea! 😅 I had to seize the opportunity. Appreciate you watching, and I'm glad that you were fortunate enough to experience it as well.

[@moonmissionpassagetototali1952]

Yours is the best eclipse expedition video I’ve seen, wonderfully edited and narrated. Congratulations🍾. I flew from Honolulu to Boston (longest domestic flight in the U.S.) and drove to Rochester, New York. The day before, the morning of, and the day after April 8 were crystal clear. Alas, after 9 to 10 am, the clouds began to move in. Maine was too far to drive at the last minute and my $$$room reservations in Rochester were too late to cancel. I drove 40 miles west to Lakeside State Park to a “frisbee golf course” by Lake Ontario where I recorded an aerial video of the advance of the Moon’s shadow over the lake. This was unexpected and extraordinary. This was my sixth TSE beginning in 1991. I’d been five for five until April 8. I did have a similar experience to yours in 2017 under crystal clear skies in Cascade, Idaho where everything went right. This is unusual for an eclipse when “Murphy” always manages to show up unannounced and uninvited. My 17-y-o nephew made a remarkable aerial video of the 2017 “360° sunset” entitled the “Serene Majesty of the Shadow of the Moon” set to various musical scores. My favorites are “The Blue Danube” (in tribute to the 50th anniversary of “2OO1”) and an a cappella cover of “Total Eclipse of the Heart” on my YT channel. Following the eclipse, I enjoyed a wonderful three-week sojourn to Upstate New York, New England, Cape Cod, Nantucket, and Boston where I’d never visited before. The weather was good but still cold everywhere in April for this surfer dude. This truly wonderful excursion was made possible by the eclipse! Aloha from Kauai🌴🏄‍♂️

[@DrewMestel]

I'm glad that you enjoyed. I truly appreciate you sharing your interesting experience with me as well. That's what I'm really hoping to do! Share my story with others so i can also hear more of their's. Feel free to share this doc with anyone else you think may get something out of it so we can keep the stories coming. Thanks for watching! P.S. I was very fortunate to visit Kawai in 2013 and it was undeniably wonderful. I hope to return one day to enjoy its beauty.

[@moonmissionpassagetototali1952]

@@DrewMestel I did visit Maine also on my trip but south of the eclipse path. It was difficult (impossible really) to predict the weather AND plan an itinerary for a trip like this in advance. I let go and let God, just as I did for five previous TSEs. I was fortunate on April 8 but in a different way, and I’m grateful for that experience.

[@DrewMestel]

I envy that your have been fortunate enough witness 6 total TSE's. At the age of 30 now, I heavily regret not seeking each and every one out. I hope to catch an annular one as well, as I also missed the one in 2017. Now that I know better, I will more adequately prepare for events such as these. Hindsight is 20/20 I suppose.

[@moonmissionpassagetototali1952]

@@DrewMestel The deep insights that you express in your video sound like those of a seasoned eclipse aficionado. Now you know why we travel far and wide with no guarantee of witnessing totality. You missed the annular last October. Another annular this October will pass over Easter Island. I went to one annular, but I won’t be going to another because they are really just a special case partial. It doesn’t get dark and you can’t look at it without a filter. As you mentioned, unless you knew it was happening, you may not notice it otherwise. Really the only noteworthy phenomenon was the “ringlet” projections through leaves onto the ground beneath trees during the annular phase. I’ve been a very selective eclipse chaser. I travel only to ones that occur in interesting places that I’ve always wanted to visit anyway. That way if I get clouded out, then the trip is not a bust. I’ve been to the Big Island; Mesilla, New Mexico (annular); Catalina Island (annular and clouded out); 20-day eclipse cruise from Florida to Buenos Aires; Aruba; Austria; Idaho; and Waterport, New York (clouded out but recorded the shadow moving over Lake Ontario). I’m content to wait another 21 years until 2045 when I’ll be 86! That eclipse will be coast-to-coast and of very long duration of over six minutes, almost three times longer than in 2017. Before 2045, there’s also Iceland and Spain; Sydney, Australia; Luxor, Egypt; and Montana. The jury is still out as to whether I will travel to any of those, but you definitely should and continue to share your experiences as you did so well in your great 2024 video!👍

[@SAARNO]

I make a 7 hour drive to Houlton ME with a friend. She had friends living right in the middle of the path. Great view from right across the street from their home. I captured stills, video, and made some composites. First TSE for me as well. Great experience! You have great images even from a smartphone. Incredible!

[@DrewMestel]

So glad to hear that you had a similar enjoyable experience in Maine as well! Thanks for watching and sharing in my journey.