INCA
FLOATS ECLIPSE
For those travelers joining Inca Floats for the Feb 26, 1998 eclipse, there will be a couple of options. There are some that would rather be right on the center line for the eclipse enjoying the maximum length of totality. This means that they will have to be on a boat in the water as the centerline does not pass over any island. (Pinta is very close to the centerline but the National Park does not allow landings there.) Totality lasts for 3 minutes and 59 seconds at the planned centerline point. Click here for a map of the viewing sites and times
Photographers would probably rather be on land in order to have a stable platform for their cameras. The closest land to the centerline is on the island of Isabela at Punta Albemarle. The length of totality is 3 minutes and 21 seconds. The difference in duration of totality between the two spots is about 38 seconds.
Inca Floats will have 3 boats out for the eclipse - The Reina Silvia, the Parranda, and the Lammer Law. The boats will rendezvous the morning before the eclipse. Everyone will have the chance to decide which way they will go for the eclipse and then return to their respective vessels in the evening.
The first contact (when the limb of the moon first touches the sun) begins at about 9:30am local time. The boats will be in position by then and shore parties will have gone ashore by 8am to get ready. Totality or second contact begins at 11:00 when the sun is 69 degrees high in the sky. Photographers will have a chance to set up their equipment in anticipation of the high angle. Totality will last almost 4 minutes as explained above. The fourth contact (when the limb of the moon leaves the sun completely) will be at about 12:30pm. Photographers will have the option of staying ashore the entire time in order to make photographic sequences of the entire eclipse.
The times given here are approximate but all will be advised of when all phases will occur within a second.