World Looks to Hawaii for Best View of Eclipse

Hotel space is still available on the Big Island of Hawaii for prime viewing of the total eclipse, which will occur Thursday, July 11. The harder part will be securing airline reservations to the island, and ground transportation once there.

To review the facts: The moon will start to cover the sun at 6:30 a.m., and total eclipse will occur at 7:28 a.m. The totality will last 4 minutes and 13 seconds. By 8:37 a.m., the entire eclipse will be over. Not since 1973 has a solar eclipse of this duration occurred anywhere in the world.

The Kohala/Kona Coast is the focus of the action because it is there that the eclipse will last the longest, and the weather conditions could be ideal. Annual rainfall is 8.7 inches, and July is a dry month.

If there is a Kona storm and the sky is cloudy, the entire Kohala/Kona Chamber of Commerce has vowed to jump into a volcano fire pit. Several have been glowing at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island for the past eight years.

The reason for the excitement among locals is that the last total eclipse in Hawaii occurred in 1850, and the next one is not supposed to take place anywhere in the United States till 2017.

Scientifically, the intense interest will occur when the eclipse passes directly over the five Mauna Kea observatories. It will be the first time in eclipse history that the world will have such a close window to the phenomenon.

The moon’s shadow will touch down just west of Hawaii and arc across the earth at more than 1,000 miles per hour, darkening a “path of totality” 100 miles wide.

Only the Big Island will experience the total eclipse, though other islands will share an important part of the experience . Maui will see 99% of the eclipse, Oahu will see 96.5% and Kauai 92%.

The Kohala Coast Resort Assn., in conjunction with the Kona/Kohala Chamber of Commerce, has established a Big Island Eclipse Information Center--(808) 329-8484; fax, (808) 329-5661--to supply the latest eclipse news.

So far, according to officials, phone calls from Europe have produced some rare requests. Such as:

“Where can I rent a ranch for my group of 400?”

“Who should I call to reserve 60 buses?” (All buses and rental cars are already reserved.)

“Is it possible to rent a helicopter to fly to the Mauna Kea Summit?” (Not only is the summit off limits, but the road to the summit will be closed for two days prior to the event.)

Contrary to earlier reports that all hotels were sold out, there are, in fact, hotel rooms to be had. Last week, for example, the Hyatt Regency Waikoloa still had 200 rooms available.

Getting to and around the Big Island is another story.

United Airlines Flight No. 199, from Los Angeles to Kona via Honolulu, has seats available on the L.A./Honolulu leg, though Honolulu-Kona is sold out for the week preceding the eclipse. Regularly scheduled flights from Honolulu to Kona on Aloha and Hawaiian Airlines are also solidly booked, although both inter-island carriers are wait-listing passengers in anticipation of adding extra sections.

All rental cars have been reserved.

At this point, the best bet may be buying one of the eclipse packages.

Big Island-based Momentum Travel has weeklong packages available that include a United flight from Los Angeles, departing July 6 or 7, a rental car for seven days and accommodations. Per-person rates are $1,465 for first-class hotels (the Kona Surf, Kona Hilton, King Kamehameha), $2,875 for the so-called five-star hotels (Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, Mauna Lani Beach Hotel, Hyatt Regency Waikoloa.) One advantage of the latter category is that the hotels will provide ground transportation, for a fee, from the Kona airport.

For visitors with confirmed air/ground transportation, there are some intriguing options for viewing the eclipse.

Hawaiian Walkways’ group of 25 hikers will set out on the morning of July 10 to explore the lava shores of the Kohala Coast, ending their tour at an isolated beach where guests will find tents, sleeping bags and a staff to prepare meals before and after witnessing the eclipse. Airport transfers are included in the $250-per-person package. A few spaces are still available.

Black Sun ’91 offers a less physically demanding camping experience on beautiful Hapuna Beach, where campsites are being prepared for as many as 500 campers. Parking, showers, security and entertainment are included. Cost is $50 per campsite per day, one to four people per campsite.

You can also opt for watching the eclipse from a flotilla of boats plying the waters off the Kohala/Kona Coast--or from the clear depths beneath them.

The deck choices include a chartered 36-foot catamaran for up to 25 guests (through Kamanu Charters) or private boat charters to serve smaller groups (Hawaii Fishing & Travel Guide). You can join a champagne breakfast cruise (Kohala Divers), a six-hour champagne brunch and snorkeling excursion (Fair Wind Sail & Dive), a breakfast cruise narrated by University of Hawaii astronomers (Royal Hawaiian Cruises) or an early morning scuba dive, surfacing just in time for the total blackout (Kona Reefers Dive Club).

Two ships from American Hawaii Cruises, the Constitution and Independence, will be stationed off the Kona Coast on the morning of July 11, but both ships report sold-out berths.

Due to the near-dawn start of the eclipse, you might get a longer look at the eclipse from 5,300 feet, which is where the Kona Historical Society is taking a limited number of guests on a four-wheel-drive ranch tour. Departure time to the slopes of Mauna Loa from the village of Captain Cook is 4:45 a.m. The $100 tour includes champagne, a cowboy breakfast, T-shirt and eclipse-safe sun peepers.

All major hotels on the Kohala Coast are planning special events, programs and speakers leading up to the event.

The Mauna Kea Beach Hotel (808-882-7222) is featuring Dr. Hale Brazt, a physics professor from MIT as a lecturer.

The Mauna Lani Bay Hotel and Bungalows (800-367-2323) has developed a theme, “Totally Umbra-Eclipsomania,” which will be reflected in special events, food and beverages. Lectures by eclipse authorities, including author Bryan Brewer, are scheduled July 7-10. The art gallery lobby will also feature a one-man show by Jon Lomber, one of the world’s best-known astronomical artists.

The new Ritz-Carlton Mauna Lani (808-885-2000) has developed “The Ritz Eclipse” comprising a team of six authorities, including two astronauts who will lecture on the solar and atmospheric phenomena beginning July 8 and continuing through the eclipse.

The Hyatt Regency Waikoloa (808-885-1234) is hosting a charitable black-tie Eclipse Ball to benefit nonprofit wildlife and marine organizations.

Here’s one caveat to remember when viewing the eclipse:

Every source of information regarding the eclipse repeats strong warnings against looking directly at any part of the eclipse. Severe eye damage can result if the proper filter equipment is not used. The Bishop Museum in Honolulu is selling “Sun-Peep” goggles for $2. Other tested equipment will also be available.

GUIDEBOOK

Rooms With a Solar View

Eclipse packages: Momentum Travel, 75-5751 Kuakini Highway, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii 96740, (800) 346-0276.

Mountaintop viewing: Kona Historical Society at Kealakekua Ranch, (808) 323-3222.

Beach camping: Hawaiian Walkways, P.O. Box 2193, Kamuela 96743, (808) 885-7759; Black Sun ‘91, (808) 885-3534.

Boat charters: Hawaii Fishing and Travel Guide, private boats, (800) 367-8014. Kamanu Charters, 36-foot catamaran, (808) 329-2021.

Cruises: Fair Wind Sail & Dive, six-hour snorkeling/breakfast cruise, (800) 872-4341; Kohala Divers, breakfast cruise, (808) 882-7774; Royal Hawaiian Cruises, (808) 329-6411; Kona Reefers Dive Club, (808) 329-5801.

For more information: Contact the Big Island Eclipse Information Center at (808) 329-8484; fax, (808) 329-5661.