The Annular Eclipse & Super High Tides on Ambergris Caye: My Review

Yesterday was the big event – the annual eclipse, the ring of fire over Ambergris Caye. We were right in the path of maximum…greatness. And we were ready.

Here is the path – it even sliced tiny Belize in half.

We ordered our glasses from Amazon for a friend to bring down. And another lovely visitor brought me a pack…I felt like Willy Wonka giving them out in town. By the end of the week, everyone was talking about it.

Viewing events – brunches and beach parties – were scheduled for bars, docks, and even Maya sites.

How was it? Ummm…it was fine. Miraculous to think of ancient peoples like the Maya noticing it much less understanding it, incredible to remember that we are just tiny specks of matter in this limitless, amazing universe but…the actual event?

Fine. If they can push my wheel chair out for the next one, it’ll be cool but if they can’t? That’s okay too.

My favorite part of the eclipse? Taking pictures of the viewers in the ridiculous glasses, the very cool shadows it cast through the trees, and the temperature drop as the light dimmed. We’ve been roasting with record-breaking high temps for the past week throughout the country.

Here is a snap shot of the record breaking temps on Thursday from Weather-atlas.com.

Actual High: 33C/91F (ok…I can deal with that)

Real Feel High: 47C/116.6F (woof)

Direct exposure to sunlight can increase that 15F to 131F!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A UV index of 11? I thought it only went to 10. Good lawd.

Another effect of the eclipse – and the alignment of earth, sun, and moon – is the incredible high tides for the last few days.

The lagoon has been high – really high – for a week or so but in the last few days, it’s completely enveloped Back a Back Street in San Pedro town and then the road north of town in the lower spots.

With the heavy truck traffic on the island, I’m a bit worried to see what this is like when it dries up. There was already a shin-deep rut in the road north by Blue Dolphin (about 4 miles north).

Ugh. But luckily we have two island quarries to donate some fill to rebuild the road. It’s the least they can do!

I hope you are having a good weekend no matter where you are. And for weather watchers- Monday morning is predicted to bring a bit of a “cold front”. The wind will come down from the north and cool things off a bit.

Thank goodness!