BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – For most people who don’t travel to see total solar eclipses, this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
“I’m very excited because it’s the first time in my life that I’m going to see it,” said 5-year-old resident Vivian Gobeil.
The last total solar eclipse in Burlington was in 1569, and the next one will be in 2399. “It’s such a small probability for in your lifetime to have a solar eclipse and be in the path of totality,” said Shelburne resident Krista Reincke.
People were out and about for the eclipse, and Overlook Park was crowded with people, but many folks also chose to stay at home and enjoy the view.
“I got people coming up from Fair Haven, from Rutland, some people coming from St. Albans, and a lot of local people are coming around and just going to have a really good time today,” said South Burlington resident Mark McCormack, who says his home had some pretty impressive views.
“I have a good view and I don’t want to just do it by myself, I want all my friends and family to come over and enjoy it with me,” McCormack said leading up to the eclipse.
South Burlington resident Mark Keydel says he has never seen anything like this before, and he is not surprised about the number of visitors that flooded into the Green Mountain State.
“Now I see why people travel hundreds and thousands of miles to watch this, I would probably do that as a tourist myself,” said Keydel.
Berlin resident Jonathan Boyles is visiting family in Shelburne and bought some special equipment. “I bought a little telescope from home, it has a nice solar filter on it so we can watch the sun. The kids can look at it, and have a good time,” said Boyles.
Liza Stone of South Burlington says she had fun not going to a tourist hot spot. “We didn’t want to drive and I live right down the road so we were like, you know, let’s get some sun, it’s so nice out, uncharacteristically warm,” said Stone.