Scanned in December 2001; and cleaned up a bit. 

After planning for many years the Eclipse came on schedule and we headed off to Hawaii to try and see it. We meaning the full Wolfson family, many Actons and several associates from work (Rosenbergs, Caravalhos, and Springer). Nate had come home a couple of weeks earlier so was with us from the start (but not to the finish) and Sabina came straight out from NYC. 

SATURDAY - Left the house at 9:45, arrived airport at 10:30, met up with the whole gang, got tickets from Jeff, got organized in general, and boarded the plane about 11:45. Plane was full but OK. They, United Airlines, play a game where you calculate what time you'll reach the halfway point and my great math skills plus a bit of luck meant I was the coach-class winner. Received a nice bottle of champagne from the airline and some "credits" from the gang. We got to Honolulu where we were to have about a 4-hour layover. Most folks drifted off in one direction or another, we three went to check out where our plane would be leaving from, and an earlier plane was just leaving. They announced they had extra space on it so we caught it instead - on the theory it is always worth taking the earliest plane that goes where you want. Arrived Kona a half hour later. Checked to see if our bags just might have gotten put on the earlier plane. Didn't see them, but then they brought in another load and lo and behold there they were. Rather strange/lucky, proving again that it never hurts to check. Picked up our rental car, drove to the motel, stopping along the way to load up on beer so we could welcome everyone when they came in a few hours later. Checked into the motel in Holualoa. 

It is a small, old, workingman's hotel up on the road a few miles up from the resort area that is run by the Inabas, a Japanese couple/family. They are distantly related to the Actons and actually the Actons initially discovered the motel 10 years ago or so when they were looking for a nonstandard place to stay. A couple of years ago they reserved it, almost entirely, for the Eclipse outing. Fifteen or so rooms all on the second floor. Two bathrooms - one for Gents and one for Ladies. A downstairs eating area where they used to serve meals when it was a room and board deal and where we had coffee each morning, and wonderful balconies. No air-conditioning so hot in the day but not too bad at night. A real half-century-ago type place and just right for the gang of us. So, put the beer in the frig, left Nate to relax, and we went back to the airport to greet the others as they arrived and give them any needed help. Back to motel, then to tourist town/Kona for a late dinner. D&I both had the relatively light special that included teriyaki chicken that wasn't much good and Mahi Mahi that was quite good. A long day and thus to sleep; was warm but we slept fine anyway. 

SUNDAY - Woke up slowly, especially Nate. I sat on the porch and watched the sun come up and planned for the eclipse equivalent. Eventually we three went to Spencer Park and did some swimming and lots of laying on the sand, relaxing, book reading, etc. We were in the shade, but I didn't use sun tan lotion and got a light case of burn. Stupid. The rest of the trip I used the lotion almost as religiously as Dawna and no more problems. Also did some general bumming around the area and checked out the Pu'ukohola Heiau Nat'1 Historic Site as well as the petroglyphys near Puako. Then back to our area. Dinner that night was Mahi Mahi and not very great; although Dawna and Nate had salads from an all-you-want salad bar that was reasonable. 

MONDAY - Another slow awaking, coffee on the porch, checking out of the sunshine at eclipse time, and Dawna and I taking a slow walk around the area while Nate "rested." The off to the North end of the island driving along the upper road, through Waimea, out to the end of the road at the Pololu Valley Lookout. Hiked down to the valley like any good tourist and then along the beach and up the other side where tourists don't tend to go. Also, a lot of no trespassing signs that made us worry a bit but seemed to be saying keep on the trail rather than heading inward. Some nice views, but not good jungle. Ate a bit of lunch near the top of the next ridge but didn't go far enough to get to the next valley. Then back to the car - a nice hike/walk. Headed back, stopped to see King Kamehameha's statue, then to a local store that had health food and procured various veges - also got some Portuguese sausage for me. Drove on around the top of the island and Mahukona Beach Co Park. The pavilion there had a plug so out came our one burner and the wok and D&N did lots of chopping of stuff while rice cooked; then stirfried it all up and we had our mid afternoon dinner. Relaxing and enjoyable with the ocean just outside our pavilion. On down the road towards the airport but since we were ahead of schedule we stopped at good old Hapuna Beach State Park to check it out. Still looks about like it did when we stayed there with the kids a whole bunch of years ago. To the airport and got Sabina - unfortunately she had been there a couple of hours since she had pulled the same sort of catch-an-earlier-plane deal in Honolulu. She had been on the road a long time and was tired; but also hungry. So, headed to the motel but stopped at a pizza place along the way. The prior two nights our sleeping situation had been D&I in a double bed and Nate in a single in the same room. Sabina was listed to be in someone else's room and we figured quite likely she'd bunk with us and someone (like me) would sleep on the floor. But another room opened up with two singles so the kids slept there. Nice for them and also nice for us. 

TUESDAY - Routine morning in terms of gradually getting up. Then off to volcano country - by heading south. Quite scenic drive. Near the bottom of the island we stopped at a fun store that was a combination of everything - bakery, groceries, health food, etc. Sorta had breakfast/brunch there as well as prepared a lunch for later and then continued onward around the bottom and up to the Volcanoes National Park. Stopped at the visitor center for a few minutes - packed, and then off for the main attraction which was the recent lava flow which was still rolling into the ocean and making lots of steam. About a 25-mile drive, much of it through spectacular lava flow countryside, back down to the ocean. Then spent 3-4 hours hiking out to the steam area, going cross country a bit rather than staying on the trail with the rest of the tourists, messing around at the "hot" beach, eating some lunch, and just generally having a fine time. Headed back (125 miles from "home") with the first stop being a small park only a few miles away. Black sand beach and lots of palm trees. Stared at the nice ocean, had a beer, tried to get a coconut out of the tree, etc. Then back to the top and drove around the park checking out a few of the good spots before it got dark. Always interesting and also brought back more memories of when we had stayed at cabins up there on the prior trip. Homeward ..... eventually staring at the gas gauge a whole bunch because no open gas stations and it got to and past empty with warning lights coming on. But made it to a gas station. Also, just got into a Chinese restaurant before they closed the doors at 9 PM and satisfied our hungry team. Home and to bed after a long and nice day. 

WEDNESDAY - Got up a bit quicker than usual. Drove to the fancy hotel where Loren and others were giving their series of eclipse related talks. Heard his and Canfield's morning talks. Then had a picnic lunch just nearby. Met up with our German eclipse-trip members and Antje went swimming with us while Peter went back with the Acton's for the afternoon talks. We swam in the ocean just off from the fancy hotel, including some snorkeling. Also migrated into the hotel area and made use of their pool, their sauna, their bar, etc, etc. Had a drink with Acton's and Rusty Swigart and lady friend. We and the Sidels headed back to Kona and went to a Mexican restaurant that was not in the major tourist part of town and thus not crowded even on eclipse eve. Fine meal and sociable. Generally speaking the island was quite tuned into the Eclipse and playing it up big but also very much set up to handle it and being relaxed on rules - like letting as many people who wanted to sleep overnight at various camps and parks as long as they didn't pitch tents, letting people park on the side of almost all the roads on the island, etc, etc. Had an eclipse planning meeting and then to bed. Actually, I slept on the floor. Caravalhos had come over to join the outing and the kids gave them their room, and we four stayed in our three-bed room. By now we had picked out a spot just a mile or so from our motel to watch it from on the theory that the street lights next to our motel would make it less than optimal. The big concern was the weather. Of the prior days about half would have been OK, half not OK (clouds) and not fantastic. 

THURSDAY - At 1:30 AM Loren came in and shook my shoulder. We walked outside and chatted. Very thick clouds. I said maybe it is this way typically and then clears but he said he'd looked out their window most early mornings and had seen stars. We agreed to wait an hour - cat napped. Then I went and woke him. We talked some more and went and woke Bob. Bob, our Hawaiian confirmed that it was worrisome and especially emphasized that back north near Waikoloa was almost always clear when near Kona often wasn't. Everyone had been saying Waikoloa was the best viewing bet.... So, we woke everyone up and by 3:30 everyone was in their cars and we headed north as a caravan. Rather amazing to empty a motel out at that time of morning. Drove through pouring rain. Ended up along the Waikoloa road above the town. Still very overcast and misty. Gathered around Larry's truck and listed to everyone talking on their CBs with no one having good seeing and lots of people thinking it is about to clear where they were. Ate a little breakfast, whatever people had managed to throw in their cars. And waited, listened, worried, talked, and generally had a crazy outing. By the time of first contact (6:30 AM) the reports made it sound quite likely that south was the place to be and it was clear at Captain Cook's, only 10 miles or so down from our motel. We barely saw first contact through the clouds and hoped in our cars to race south. A crazy drive with spots of clearing, spots of clouds, listening to the radio about the weather, watching tens of thousands of people looking at the eclipse with various types of peepers (eye protectors), looking at it ourselves out the back window when there were clear places. Gradually our well-organized group began to slightly dissipate. Our goal was to get back to the motel/ original view site but time was running out so we pulled off at an alternative spot (almost running into one another as Larry's truck slipped on the wet pavement) and "watched" totality from there. Lots of clouds, didn't really see the corona ever, did see the very thin ring before it went dark, was disappointed it didn't get darker but also impressed how it did get cool and darkish, didn't see the shadow or shadow bands. So on a scale of 1-10 it was probably a 5. Meanwhile, the Seidels had really raced back, got to the planned spot and saw totality quite well and the folks at the motel who had never raced anywhere sat of the porch and did likewise!!! Sometimes it doesn't pay to be aggressive..... Quite an adventure and I took it worse than some (had higher expectations) but it was still a whole lot more interesting than never participating in a total eclipse. 

Back to the motel to exchange stories, take naps, read books, and generally recover. By late AM D, N & S went down town to do tourist shopping while Jake kept loafing. By 4 PM or so we all 4 headed to a relatively nearby spot for snorkeling. Ended up at a lava encircled deep pool and Jake had a good time but no one else felt comfortable. Back to the Inabas for the group diner, which they were preparing. Everyone participated and it was a highlight togetherness time. We provided 6 or so bottles of white wine and Acton's did likewise with red (we had both carried a case over to the Islands). The meal had salad, local fish with a sauce, a meatloaf, white rice, other good stuff, and a very nice chocolate desert; plus Kona coffee of course. Then we sat around in a few groups talking and or playing cards. Nate went to bed and the other three of us introduced some others to Contract Rummy and played until we were all very sleepy. To bed; and surprisingly I didn't sleep well (too much red wine and coffee??). 

FRIDAY - A relaxed wakeup period with the normal book reading and short walk in the area. Then we were off to Hapuna to combine Nate's desire for some beach and ocean to body surf in, Sabina's desire to snorkel and see more fish, and mom's desire to spend some time back at the spot we had camped 10 years or so ago and had such a great time. Settled in and did all of the above. A fine time and some of the time it was fun to watch the two kids almost acting like they had 10 years ago in terms of playing in the water. On the way to the beach we had put together the foods for another stirfry dinner so we headed north to Mahukona Beach where we had cooked before and thought we might also do some snorkeling in the adjacent underwater preserve. Some locals had the pavilion, however, so we moved on a bit further north to Kapa Beach Park. The electricity there didn't work so we went back south to Spencer State Park. All was fine there and we casually cooked the meal, watched the sunset, the kids played with the ever-present group of wild kittens, etc. As we were finishing the Rosenbergs showed up since that was where they were camping. Home to play another and longer game of contract rummy and then to bed. Maybe this was the night Sabina made Kamikazes for everyone, or was it an earlier night? 

SATURDAY - People had agreed to go to the top of MK which is the highest point on the Islands (13,796 ft) and where most of the telescopes are. The saddle road that gets you part way there is off limits to rental cars but we all ignored this. Then the final 8 miles are for 4-wheel drive cars in theory. The plan was for Larry to shuttle a couple of batches of folks up in his 4-wheel truck. However, the road didn't look bad and we needed to get back before the others in order to take Nate to the airport so we (D & I, S was with the Actons by now) drove up in our rental car and the Acton's drove up in theirs; while Larry took everyone else in the truck. Nate had not gone with us on this outing because he didn't want to spend the day in the car and then a night on the plane and a day on a bus (to Eureka). We headed up first, no problem, got to the top, had lunch, explored a bit, and wondered where the others were. Turned out the truck overheated so Loren brought a load up and had gone down for another load; so I went down also and got the rest. Looked around some more; a highlight being Loren bumped into a Japanese astronaut (yet to fly) and they chatted and were interviewed, etc, etc. The three of us took a couple who weren't feeling well down to the Visitors center and then we went back to the motel, got Nate, went to the airport, and off he went. Acton's showed up, as planned, and we five went back to town for an Indonesian dinner. Quite OK and certainly a lot of fun and they got to interact with Sabina more than when we had all been in a big group. 

SUNDAY - While S woke up slowly Dawna, Larry, and I went to the new Bonsai gardens. Nice but so new that it is not very developed yet. It will likely be quite nice in a half dozen years or so if it can make it financially. Then we three headed off to go snorkeling at the underwater fish preserve. First going to a craft's fair where the person who had already sold raw silk outfits to three of the ladies was showing things. Dawna bought a full "costume" with top, jacket, pants, skirt, belt, earrings, and who can remember what else. Then stopped for Pizza; which took quite awhile but we were operating on Hawaii time. Finally got to the preserve in the fairly late PM. Turned out Rosenbergs and Caravalho were there so we chatted and also did the snorkeling we had come there for. Fantastic! Lots and lots of fish and even an eel; but no turtles. I think that night we just snacked on some odds and ends at the motel. And packed. 

MONDAY - Up at a reasonable time and off to a big breakfast at the Aloha Cafe. Ok, but not wonderful. Did some phone calling to see if Sabina could go on United, perhaps with us, and still get triple Pan AM miles. The latter wouldn't work, so she stuck with Pan AM. So, to the airport. Sabina was driving today to get into it since she was going to be the one who eventual checked the car in (against their rules since she is under 25). She dropped us off at about 11:00 and went back to the motel to spend the day reading on the porch. We boarded the plane and flew home non stop; along with everyone else. Sabina flew home that evening plus the next day - i.e., Kona to Honolulu to LA to NYC. It took us a long time to get our bags and get into the car but eventually we were home. Then I discovered I had brought back the wrong army duffel bag. Idiot. Made a few phone calls and decided to straighten it all out, so went back to the airport and exchanged it for mine. By the time I was back (midnight) the two Seidels had been at the house about an hour and everyone was having a drink. They were going to be in town for two nights before heading off to Florida and then back to Germany and we had just that morning invited them to stay with us rather than at a motel on the first night and the Acton's the second. 

On Monday night there had been a note on the answering machine saying Nate made it to Eureka, on Tuesday there was a note saying Sabina made it to NYC, and on Tuesday night we had a steak dinner with the Seidels and Actons (at our house). By Wednesday we began to get things back to normal. Meanwhile, Nate was finding out that there were not enough people in his class for the U to conduct it so he was scrambling to do something else .... like a non paid "internship" with a local environmental group and Sabina had found out that the Monday she left she had a phone call for a job interview at a great sounding place so she was trying to get them to still consider her (which they said they would). She eventually got down to being one of the top two applicants and then did not get the position.