An Englishman in America and an eclipse

Five years ago yesterday, in the late morning I stood transfixed in St. James Park in London to witness a very unusual sight.

A partial eclipse some 95% of the sun by the moon was clearly seen in the sky over London and indeed most of the United Kingdom with the exception of part of Cornwall in the south west that witnessed a total eclipse.

The weather, a favorite subject matter, generally masks many solar events from the eyes looking upward from Britain, but on this day, five years ago, the sky was virtually clear, up until the time of the eclipse, (typically).

I stood by the lakeside in St. James Park on the north side of the lake; Buckingham Palace was but four hundred yards over my right shoulder. Those familiar with St. James Park will also be familiar with the hundreds of waterfowl, ducks, geese herons and pelicans that live on the lake.

As the moon traveled across the sun, the late morning turned the light to dusk and the birds started to settle down as they would any other dusk, except this one was some ten hours earlier.

The park was packed with people. Many from the surrounding offices of Westminster, Whitehall, St James Park and Victoria had strolled into the park to witness for many a once in a lifetime event. The rooftops of the government building the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Treasury could also be seen crammed with people who wanted to see something most extraordinary from the daily Whitehall routine.

Impromptu office parties started up, blankets were place on the ground, and bottles of champagne were opened to celebrate the occasion.

I had broken away from my group to stand alone a marvel at the sight from the reflection of the still waters of the lake, occasionally looking up to sneak the briefest of peaks at the eclipse.

I remember a couple of ducks took fright at the thousand in the park, around the lake, and the early dusk, who took to flight, vocally “quacking” their concern. But most of all I remember stillness and silence.

Then the sun started to reappear from behind the moon. The ducks and other waterfowl resumed their midday activities and the crowds of office workers, civil servants and I returned to our offices surrounding the park. This memory is so vivid it hardly seems five years ago yesterday.