Windsor-Essex boat tours offering a better view of the solar eclipse are selling out

Demand is high forlocal companies taking people out on the water to be the first in Canada to seethe April 8 solar eclipseand alocal tourism association says there's also been a spike inhotel bookings.

The Macassa Bay will run a special charter that will take passengers from Amherstburgto the western basin of Lake Erie to view the total solar eclipse.

Paul Mancini, captain of the Macassa Bay for Windsor Premier Cruises, saidthe tour only has a few spots left.

"We just thought this would be a great event to bring people out to witness it," he said.

"We won't be in an area of totality, but we'll be close to it where we can get a good viewof the eclipse."

The voyage is about 90 per cent sold out of its 140-person capacity, Mancini said. Each passenger will be supplied with a pair of eclipse glasses.

Mancini saidthey're thrilled with the response, but surprised ticket sales have been so brisk with eclipse day a month away.

"There seems to be a big interest in Essex County and ...something that we felt would be a good opportunity for people visiting the area to witness what there is to offer andEssex County and view our waterway," he said.

'I'm interested in seeing something like this, never witnessing a solar eclipse before, a total solar eclipse. I can see the interest with the coming to the area to witness, to get a view of this up front."

Tom Sobocan, public relations director with the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada in Windsor, saidhe expectsboats like the Macassa Bayand the Pelee Islander, which is also running a sold out voyage that day, will offer a good view of the eclipse.

Sobocan said totality won't be visible acrossEssex County Windsor, LaSalle and Lakeshore won't be in the path. But the astronomical society will be at Colchester Harbour, Kingsville, Point Pelee and Jack Miner bird sanctuary, where totality will be visible.

Sobocan warnedobservers to have eclipse glasses,and for those hoping to photograph the eclipse with a camera, they'll need a solar filter or risk burning the camera's sensor.

"If you're looking for a couple seconds at a partialeclipse,you will definitely end up with eye damage or it could even lead to blindness," he said.

"But with solar eclipse glasses, as long as you're taking the glasses off and putting them on with your back towardthe sun, when you look at the sun, it's totally safe to look at the sun for about up to threeminutes at a time with the solar eclipse glasses."

Tourism interest growing for solar eclipse day: Orr

Gordon Orr, CEO of Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island (TWEPI), saidthe tourism agency recently put together an eclipse guide, which is available on its website, for both locals and visitors.

"We're finding that a lot of people are wondering what's happening with the solar eclipse and what they can see and do during that day," Orr said.

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Tom Sobocan is with with the Windsor branch of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada.

He saidTWEPI is tracking hotel bookings, which would typically be slower on a Monday night, and there's been a rise in them.

Tourism interest in the Essex County, swaths of which are in the path of totality, will continue to pick up as eclipse day draws closer, he anticipated.

"Science is fun. Everybody loves to see astronomy and this is something to participate in and we're very fortunate to have it happening in this region," Orr said.

"Whenever there areopportunities that present themselves, this community harnesses those opportunities andmakes different venues and events accessible."

WATCH|How to safely watch the solar eclipse

How to safely watch the total solar eclipse in Windsor-Essex

7 months ago

Duration 1:26

Tom Sobocan, public relations director for the Royal Astronomical Society's Windsor group, explains where and how to watch the eclipse on April 8.