Rain Not Dampening Eclipse Viewers’ Spirits : * Astronomy: Protective eye gear is selling, and many will dine at ocean eateries or take cruises to see the event.

Newport Beach merchant Scott Williams feared that he would end up with 3,000 pairs of unsold protective eye glasses after thick clouds covered the Southland late this week and threatened to mar today’s solar eclipse.

But the dismal weather, to William’s surprise, did not dampen sales or the enthusiasm of the customers who lined up to buy the shades that protect the eyes while watching the eclipse.

“We’re selling the heck out of them,” said Williams at Ocean View Instruments. “Already, we’ve sold 2,000 pairs.”

Merchants throughout Los Angeles and Orange counties said that customers “by the droves” are snapping up eclipse eye ware and reserving seats at oceanside restaurants to view the second solar eclipse in the region in the past six months. Late Friday, forecasters predicted that the storm clouds would lift in time for today’s eclipse.

Seaside restaurants, such as Gladstone’s For Fish in Malibu, said they will be packed Saturday afternoon with astronomy groups and private parties that made dining reservations to observe the solar show at sunset. If the weather cooperates, diners will watch the moon blot out most of the setting sun except for a thin ring of light in what is called an annual eclipse.

“People are coming in by the droves to reserve oceanfront tables to watch the eclipse,” said Gladstone’s manager John Polizzi, who estimated that the restaurant seats about 700. “We’re booked from 3 in the afternoon until 5:30 at night and everyone wants to sit at window seats so they can watch the eclipse. This is about the best place to watch the eclipse and I still think that with California weather, you never know, it might clear.”

Other local businesses, such as cruise ships lines, are also taking advantage of the event.

After spaces sold out for a regularly scheduled whale watching cruise around Catalina Island today, Davey’s Locker Sportfishing in Newport Beach scheduled a second sundown cruise for whale and eclipse watchers.

“The response to the (second) trip has been more than we expected,” said Marty Igleheart, manager of Davey’s. “We had planned on one trip and that sold out in about 48 hours. The second trip is pretty much filled as well.”

While local merchants and businesses stand to profit from the eclipse, Marty Kapp, a Los Angeles Astronomical Society member, said he will let observers watch the moon pass over the sun through his high-powered telescope for free.

“If I can introduce people to astronomy, then that’s fine with me,” said Kapp, who will set up his telescope at Culver City Park. “If the rain parts, it will be a spectacular sight.”