Well, the much hyped total eclipse of the sun by the moon has come and gone.
Yes, the media hyped it pretty good for several days beforehand, and no, we here in the Shuswap were not positioned to really get the full effect of the phenomenon. But I do have to admit the whole thing really was pretty cool.
As I stood in the yard watching the light and shadows change around me, I could not help but feel I was part of a shared experience – shared with both those who were looking up at the sun on Monday, Aug. 21, and all those who had looked up in wonder and dismay throughout centuries past.
One of the problems in viewing the eclipse locally was that we were not on the direct path of the arc of the sun and moon as they aligned. What we were able to view was nothing compared to those along the path as it arced across the central part of the U.S. But, like I said, it was still pretty neat.
In the end though, I was like a lot of other people who ended up going into the house and watching it live on one of the American TV stations. It didn’t take very long for some absolutely amazing images (especially those from NASA) to also start showing up on the Internet.
Maybe, if all goes well, we will be able to get a better view during the next total eclipse which will happen on April 8, 2024. Although, from what I understand, one would have to travel to the East Coast of Canada to get the Full Monty. Maybe I could combine it with some Atlantic salmon fishing.
I have always been partial to warm, lazy, sunny summer afternoons, and I don’t know how many times I have stood fishing along the banks of a river or stream, on a cool crisp autumn morning, and just revelled in the feeling of the sun on my face. As far as I am concerned, the sun, as well as the moon, are integral elements to having a good day out on the water. I am also a firm believer in something called the Solunar Tables.
The basis for the Solunar Tables comes from the concept that the sun and moon affect the tides and tidal fishing, and that the rise and fall of the tides are caused by the force or pull exerted by the moon.
Credit for the whole Solunar Tables theory goes to one John Alden Knight, author of The Modern Angler: Including the Solunar Theory, 1936. The word ‘solunar’ being derived from sol (sun) and lunar (moon). Initially, Knight compared 33 factors which seemed to influence the behaviour of fish and caused them to become more active. Of those, he further examined three: sunrise and sunset, phase of the moon and the tides. From those, he developed the Solunar Tables. To substantiate his theory, Knight systematically compared the timing of 200 record catches and found that more than 90 percent were made during a new moon (even when one was not visible). This is the time when the influence of solunar periods is strongest. Because of the interaction of many solar and lunar cycles, no two days, months or years are ever the same. June has a greater combined solunar influence than any other month. During a full moon, the sun and moon are nearly opposite each other and throughout the course of the day either one is nearly always on the horizon. Whereas, during a new moon, both celestial bodies are in near-perfect alignment, traveling through the sky together with their forces and influences combined. A fair number of scientists concur that the many creatures which inhabit this planet, including fish in both tidal and non-tidal waters, are affected by the sun and moon at specific times of the day. The Solunar Tables were developed according to this relationship.
If only the long range weather forecasters were anywhere near as accurate as Knight’s Solunar Tables I would be able to plan all my fishing trips well in advance. I could even plan ahead to April 8, 2024. In the meantime, I am content to cast my line to fish wherever and whenever I get the chance. However, if the sun and moon and stars do happen to align just right, who knows, I may very well get to watch the next total eclipse while casting my line to some bright, shiny, silvery salmon – with a distinct eastern accent.