Eclipse: Huron Boat Basin a popular destination

HURON — There wasn't any mystery as to why Serena Swinehart and her two sisters drove north to Huron on Monday. They wore T-shirts that read: "I Got Mooned with my sisters in Huron, Ohio." "I was looking at the path, and this popped up," Swinehart said. "You were having a little festival so one thing led to another. We're just trying to get another experience under our belts." Swinehart and sisters Cindy Baise and Theresa Moore, who came from Columbus, spent Sunday night at Sawmill Creek Resort before joining a nice crowd at the Huron Boat Basin to view the eclipse on Monday. There were plenty of things to do before the eclipse. A magician performed, a band played, and food trucks enjoyed steady lines. There were children's activities, including face-painting, thanks to the Huron Public Library. The Huron Chamber of Commerce, the city of Huron, Huron Parks & Recreation and the Huron Boat Basin also supported the watch party. Bryan Edwards, facilities manager at the boat basin, was handing out free eclipse glasses. He said he met several people from outside Ohio. "We've handed out easily over 100 (pairs of glasses)," he said about 90 minutes before the main event. "I've heard people are here from Utah, Michigan, Oregon, Florida. It's neat to see. It looks like a really heavy out-of-town crowd." Shawn Kendall, who lives three blocks from the boat basin, staked out a good spot on a picnic table with Mark Conn, who drove up from Mansfield. "Way back in grade school I remember we put these cardboard boxes on our heads and put a pinhole in it so we were able to look at the eclipse," Kendall said. Amy Zurawski, from the Detroit area, went to lunch with two friends at Main Street Tavern, which was one of the popular destinations for out-of-town eclipse chasers. "I'm here to take pictures of them taking pictures," she said. "It happens very rarely and we wanted to get the best shot." Crowds trickled into Huron throughout the morning. Plenty of people chose spots closer to the lighthouse at the mouth of the Huron River, and area beaches drew big crowds. Plenty of photographers set up shop at the boat basin, which soon will be filled with boats as the summer festival season begins. Kirsten Van Langenhoven drove down from Detroit with her father, Thomas Van Langehoven. Thomas flew in from Los Angeles last week to help Kirsten celebrate her 32nd birthday and chase the eclipse. They drove to Huron on Monday morning with some friends and brought supplies and several cameras. "It was smooth sailing," Kirsten said. "We found parking very easily." Thomas, 71, called himself an "advanced amateur photographer." He had the proper filter on his camera lens and was ready for the big moment. "We were gonna go here first and work our way east to Cleveland if we came up with a no-go here," he said. "This is our first stop and it's worked out quite well so far." Thomas, who is retired after working for a contractor at Edwards Air Force Base, lives in Lancaster, Calif. Kirsten moved to Detroit from San Diego last fall. Like everyone in the area, they were thankful for the warm weather. It was Thomas' first total eclipse, which reached totality about 3:12 p.m. "We're going to get pictures and hopefully amaze our friends," he said. "I figure the next one in the U.S. is gonna be 2044 and I'm not gonna be around at that time."