'Celestial serendipity': Eclipse was a breathtaking and unifying moment

I wish it was possible to put into words just how breathtaking a moment totality is. Television doesn’t do it any real justice either.

I have an enormous sense of gratitude. It exceeded all my expectations. And to be quite honest, I didn’t really know what to expect.

I’ll admit, there had been a little part of me wondering if it really could be that amazing. But my goodness it was.

“It’s not going to be totally dark is it?” I said to my colleagues Eleanor and Michael as we went through a last-minute panic over how to capture the moment, live on Sky News, with our cameras.

“Yes Mark, I think it might be,” she said.

All total eclipse virgins, none of us had a true idea of what was in store for us.

Our day had begun early with a good dose of what we quickly coined “cloud anxiety”. As the producer for this assignment, Eleanor’s bout of this condition was acute.

We had been due to travel to Burlington in western Vermont. At 5am, we were on the road heading north.

Eleanor was unsure. The chance of blue skies was beginning to look iffy according to the newly downloaded weather apps. What to do?

“Scrap Burlington. We’re going to Newport,” Eleanor concluded after delving deeper into her weather app rabbit hole.

She sounded convinced. I am not sure she really was. But the dice needed to be rolled.

Eyewitness: Eclipse watchers in tears at iconic race track

And so, as the star of the show ahead made its first appearance on the dawn horizon, we redirected ourselves from Burlington to Newport. Further, but worth it we hoped.

The roads were already busy. The cloud gods had forced the total eclipse purists to switch plans.

We were part of a collective rush across America, to beat the anxiety; to find the perfect skies for this true cosmic treat.

We arrived in Newport to cloudless skies. If Mother Nature was threatening to spoil her own show – well, not here. It was perfect.

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‘Everyone is together’

At the Brown Cow Cafe, the queue for breakfast was out of the door – a two and a half hour wait for the bacon, the eggs, and the hash. But no one minded.

The mood everywhere was just wonderful. Honestly, it felt like just what humanity needs right now.

As one man said to me, “no one is in disagreement, everyone is together”. He was right. This wonder of nature is a true unifier.

An event that’s truly beyond anyone’s control had brought us all together physically and in spirit.

And so were all gathered. A sea of people in this small town, together on the grass by the lakeside – a natural open-air amphitheatre.

With cameras, picnic chairs, family and friends, there was a genuine togetherness for what promised to be the experience of a lifetime – maybe the greatest show on Earth.

And then it came. On the shores of this northern American lake, we were one community of so many along the arc of totality from Mexico to Newfoundland, all in the moment together.

And then my question about darkness was answered. Right up until the last moment before totality, the sunlight punched down on us. And then, ping.

Our natural light was gone. It was properly dark for more than three minutes. And here, in rural Vermont, with no light pollution, it was celestial serendipity.

And then as quickly as it went, it was back. There was light once again. A natural wonder that lasted just minutes – but one which will last in our memories forever.

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