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Total Eclipse Watching, Oyo State March 28th - 29th, 2006 Even though the meeting time was 16.00 it was a pleasant surprise to find a full party already assembled as I drove into the Mobil plot at about 15.55. After a brief census from enumerator Robert, the party left in convoy for the IITA estate in Ibadan.
There is not much to say about the journey apart from the fact that a massive go-slow on the Ibadan by-pass afforded a perfect view of the graveyard of trailer units that liberally dotted the road, which made us appreciate the peace and serenity of the IITA estate even more.
Any effects of the journey were soon dispelled by a few bottles of Star and dinner, after which we were informed that we were leaving the following day at 06.30. When you have early starts like this it always is a decision as to whether to go to bed early or not at all, but that night my daughters persuaded me to take the first option and unless I missed the room party it appears all others did the same.
The sun rose early the next morning but not as early as the tour party since the initial rays struck a line of cars already assembled outside the estate ready for the 150 klick journey to the view site. An interesting trip with the ubiquitous cassava plants and potholes with the only “cloud” being that we were off to see a solar eclipse and that there was 10/10ths cloud cover.
At about 9.40 we reached the viewing site which was a dappled leafy glade just off the Shaki road. It was here that the organization surpassed itself since a) the weather gods finally did as they were bid and dispersed the cloud and b) everyone was issued with eclipse-watching glasses.
As a result of a) and through b) we got the first view of the sun and could see that already the moon had taken a nibble off the top right hand corner. A number of optical devices then came out and whilst I understand cameras and binoculars it did seem strange that some people watched the show with a cardboard box on their heads! My daughters tried to explain the principle of a pin-hole camera but it all seems like white juju to me.
Gradually the moon nibbled away at more of the sun – a bit like a caterpillar eating a leaf that you see on these nature programmes – and the light got slightly dimmer. Then at around 10.20 the last sliver of light disappeared from the bottom left corner and the world went suddenly dark, accompanied by cheers from the Polytechnic bus that had parked close by. There it was though, a big black blob in the sky with a shimmering halo dancing around it. My first eclipse, what a joy. All too soon a ray of light appeared again in the top left hand corner and as if the lights had been turned on again, day light reigned.
So, 10 hours in a car for 3 minutes of Eclipse. In my view it was worth every single minute and kilometer just to see the sight of the sun disappearing, and this view was fully and heartily endorsed by my two Gameboy-wielding, i-pod-listening teenage daughters. No praise can be higher.
David Edwards, United Kingdom
see some more great pictures.... (loading may take a bit!)
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Lagos Branch
