I was awake early this morning, just before the 7am announcement that anybody wishing to go ashore could do so.  It will be a long day until we leave for New York at 23.00 hrs, probably still in a degree of daylight. While Buxton basks in one of the U.K.’s heatwaves, up here, it’s overcast with the possibility of rain, and no more than 14°C. This won’t make observing this afternoon’s total eclipse any safer.  We have all been issued with eclipse glasses.  But this is what I came for, a unique opportunity to witness a total eclipse of the sun from the open decks of Queen Mary 2.  I’m expecting these open decks to be “rammed.”  There are hugely expensive shore experiences to view the eclipse elsewhere including dinner at the Blue Lagoon for $1,199 which sold out days ago!

Dinner in the Britannia last night wasn’t much to write home about.  The poshly named beef dish was described as institutional by one of my table companions!   (08.32 hrs)

This morning, at around 10 o’clock, I collected all my things and found myself a bay window seat for breakfast in the Kings Court.  I’m looking out on a pleasantly cloudy sky, but not really conducive to once in a lifetime eclipses.  My plan is to “wing it” this morning, returning to the ship for pole position this afternoon.  I understand that there was a total eclipse in Iceland on June 30th 1954. The next one after today is June 26th 2196.  If I’m still around then, my pension would be a good deal! 

I have seen the cruise ship AIDAluna berthed close by from the forward end of Deck 14.  Amadea is also docked here today, although I have not seen it. AIDAbella is berthed immediately aft of QM2.

There’s a new floral display in the Grand Lobby depicting today’s eclipse.

10.55 hrs.  Now for a “rekkie” of Reykjavik.

15.51. During Afternoon Tea in the Queens Room

The rekkie of Reykjavik went reasonably well.  A Cunard shuttle bus was waiting conveniently at the quayside and the ride to near the Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Centre, which I would visit briefly later in the day took around 15 minutes.

Eventually (avoiding angry crowds trying to board a red hop-on hop-off bus), I took one just minutes later merely to have a quick look around Iceland’s capital.  To do Reykjavik justice, one needs the two days we were going to be here originally.  It seems that Almighty is not in a good mood either. Rain and cloud I fear will eclipse the eclipse. Now to claim my spot on Deck 14 and get wet!

It has stopped raining. Helios is really trying to break through the fairly thick cloud cover. There are people on the open decks but as the eclipse begins in around 8 minutes’ time, there is still plenty of room. Totality is in around an hour and eight minutes from now and thankfully, it has stopped raining.

17.14 hrs.  Cloud cover – no sun.  A huge cloud is coming in.

17.48 hrs TOTALITY- But the sun was completely obscured, appearing partially for just two or three seconds, partially eclipsed. I suppose most people on board, who had come on this trip especially, will be philosophical.  My friends back home will be grinning from ear to ear, and even I can see the funny side.  It did go dark, ever so briefly, and to witness that from Deck 13 was still rather special.  It’s 18.12 hrs, right now. I’m still on Deck 13, just wondering if the clouds,will part revealing a decreasingly eclipsed sun.

19.09 hrs. The sun never did reappear. I waited almost until 18.47hrs in the hope I might need to test my Cunard eclipse glasses.  That opportunity never presented itself.  

We don’t leave Reykjavik until after 23.00hrs.  After tonight, there are five sea days to New York.  It’s forecast to rain again in Reykjavik tomorrow, and this earlier than originally announced departure will be less disappointing than it might have been.  I would very much like to revisit Iceland.  Before returning from my rekkie in Reykjavik, I ventured into the Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Centre, in search of a loo.  Down two flights of escalators, there was a large room where Volcano Express took place at frequent intervals during the day.  Tickets were quite expensive especially for a show just ten minutes in duration.  In that short time, it was as if you were caught up in a violent eruption.  You were thrown around in your seat, you felt the heat of the eruption (presumably a minute percentage of the real thing), and you had to be strapped in.  Reykjavik seems to have a lot of this type of educational entertaiment.  That extra day would have been welcome.

Tonight’s Show Time in the Royal Court Theatre features a folkloric performance from people of Reykjavik.  I shall attend.

I enjoyed my day, especially that minute it went dark. 

Many thanks for reading, David, in his stateroom about to change for dinner, 19.44 hrs.

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