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(Ianna Amelia Marijono/For the Washington Daily News)

Photo courtesy of David Courtenay

(Ianna Amelia Marijono/For the Washington Daily News)

Photo courtesy of David Courtenay

(Ianna Amelia Marijono/For the Washington Daily News)

Photo courtesy of David Courtenay

By Ianna Amelia Marijono and Holly Jackson 

For The Washington Daily News 

Monday’s solar eclipse had Beaufort County residents of all ages watching the sky from the swim beach at Goose Creek State Park. 

Sophie Davis, assistant park ranger at Goose Creek, said it’s important that people gather to see a unique celestial event like a solar eclipse, because it has the potential to create community with one another. “I think it’s important (that people see the eclipse together). I think it builds community, especially if you don’t have glasses. You have to share so you make new friends. It’s a rare occasion,” she said. 

Goose Creek had a total eclipse viewing event at their swim beach on Monday afternoon, April 8. 

In contrast to many areas across the United States, there were clear skies and sun on Monday in Beaufort County but that didn’t stop one family from taking a field trip to Goose Creek. 

Pearl Ann Absher, of Belhaven, homeschools her eight-year-old twins Brayden and Grace Ann. She said they’ve been talking about the eclipse in their science studies all week. “My kids were three during the last eclipse so they don’t remember much of it.” 

Seth Effron joined onlookers noting how a celestial event can bring people of all ages together. 

“I think that it’s really interesting; there are older people like me, there are younger people, there are adults with their kids, they’re looking at the eclipse, they’re playing in the water, it’s really neat to experience this,” he said. 

“I think that one, it is great for the state park service to provide an opportunity for people to see it with the proper safety glasses. And also, it’s a great spot. You couldn’t ask for a better day, there is literally not a cloud in the sky… It’s a chance for people to get together, their kids are playing, and everybody has a great experience in seeing one of the great natural wonders as well as just an experience to share that at one of our great national parks.” 

He continued, “ In 2017, I saw the complete solar eclipse and you really feel (that) when the sun is completely covered up, it gets 20 degrees cooler. It really is a big change so you recognize how important the sun is to our lives around here. This one isn’t a full eclipse but what’s really nice for me is it’s a wonderful natural event and I get to share it with other people that I may or may not know that I get to meet for the first time.”

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