Reunion and Eclipse Expedition, April 7 - 10, 2024
Draft Schedule
Click Here for reunion photos!

 Sunday, April 7:         
Monday, April 8:
  • Morning free. The Holiday Inn has its own restaurants.  If you want to go out for breakfast, we tend to frequent Morrison's Restaurant (greasy spoon but nice people and very fast) or Peter's Place (good solid breakfast).
  • From the Holiday Inn, The City of Kingston has decided NOT to use Breakwater Park as an 'official' viewing site because it is too close to the hospital and they are worried about congestion.     Buses are free on Eclipse day. Here is a map for buses. Driving is not recommended on eclipse day.
  • Tindall Field is the official observing site for Queen's University. At this location, there will be a number of displays, and hopefully interesting things to look at.  Here is the map for walking and  here is an interactive map of Queen's campus (south at the bottom where the lake is, north at the top).  Let's meet at the Indiginous gathering place, which is right at the South end of Tindall Field (close to Watson Hall) at 2:00 p.m. Washrooms are marked on the map.  The closest/easiest one is in Watson Hall main floor.
 
  • 2:09 p.m. Start of eclipse partial phase.  Try checking out the Eclipse information.  I've also prepared some slides that help to explain the eclipse geometry.
  • 3:22 p.m. Start of total phase. Lasts abut 3 minutes
  • 4:35 p.m. End of eclipse partial phase.  See this video (scroll down a bit and look for the blue square) for a simulated progression of the eclipse.
  • ... time to rest...
  • 6:30 p.m. Dinner at Milestones Restaurant. Menu has more variety and is less expensive than Chez Piggy. Just steps from the Holiday Inn.  Group photo?   Reminiscences.

Tuesday, April 9: 

Scenario A: Scenic Points North  Adopted!
  • 9:00 a.m. Depart by car from Holiday Inn.  Take a scenic  53 minute drive to Westport with a brief stop at the Foley Mountain look-out.
  • 10:00 to approx. 11:00. Poke around the stores in Westport.  I recommend the Village Green, a charming country store with good prices.
  • 11:00 p.m. Depart for Judith & Richard's observatory.  Brief tour. Solar viewing, weather permitting.
  • 1:30 p.m. Lunch at Bob & Marg Irwin's cottage on Little Silver Lake, which is 3 km south of the observatory.
  • 3:00 p.m. (or thereabouts, as desired).  Head home  possibly with a stop at the Scheuermann Winery (as it turns out, they are still closed for the season -- maybe next time).
  • Evening free


Scenario B: Art, History & Culture in Kingston
  • 9:30 a.m. Drive or walk to:
  • Agnes Etherington Art Gallery, a small art gallery on the Queen's University campus, containing the Bader Collection which includes several authentic Rembrandts.  OR
  • Marine Museum of the Great Lakes -- it is labelled on the walking map.  The historic S. S. Keewatin is a recent arrival which is docked outside the museum.
  • Lunch TBD
  • Note: museums and art galleries tend to be on the small side and 1 hour is about right for a visit. 
  • There are a number of other attractions which are not normally open at this time of year, but we are waiting to hear whether some might be opened on Tuesday because of the tourists.  If so, good options would be Kingston Penitentiary Tours, or Fort Henry. Fort Henry will be open all week. A walk or drive up to the fort gives a nice view of Kingston and region.
  • Evening free
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