LORAIN, Ohio — The men from Stars and Stripes Plumbing got to the docks along the Black River early on April 8. The weather was perfect for a great day on Lake Erie.
"We're going to go get some fish during the eclipse," Captain Gary Carpenter says. "Get some walleye out there."
Carpenter has run SARA J Fishing Charters for more than 30 years, and he booked a special group for a special day.
It's a tight-knit group that has fished together many times before.
"One electrician, a carpenter, and then two of my guys that work for me, we're all plumbers," Dan Richmond, who booked the trip for his guys, told us.
They traded their tools for rod, reel, and sun.
As Captain Gary and First Mate Julie got the SARA J headed upriver towards the lake, you could feel the excitement grow.
"It should be a good time," Dan noted. "They say it will be a once-in-a-lifetime event."
Some of his charter mates seemed more excited about the fishing trip than the once-in-a-lifetime event they were about to be immersed in.
Once clear of the river, it was throttle up, and Gary's boat made its way to the fishing grounds. Recent rains had made the waters close to shore very muddy, so it was a hunt for clean water.
Seven miles later, things started with a bang.
"Fish on!" Gary exclaimed. It was a cry that would be heard over and as fish after fish was caught. The guys were bragging the whole time.
"Now that's how you do it, Pat!" yelled the electrician, as a nice five-pound walleye was netted and brought aboard. But things were about to change.
Around 2 p.m., faces turned skyward, with protected eyes, of course. The eclipse had arrived and things were changing fast.
"That is kind of weird," Carpenter admitted, as the skies slowly darkened.
It was getting eerie out on Lake Erie; the fish didn't seem to mind as light levels dropped. With about five minutes until totality, multiple rods doubled as the walleye hit.
"Fish on! Oh, I can't see it with the glasses on," Gary said while handing the bouncing rods to the anglers. There were three more walleye in the box, but it was here: eclipse totality.
The sight stopped everyone in their tracks.
"Now it's out. It's gone," Dan remarked as he looked toward the heavens. "Check that out!"
The men quit looking for fish and instead craned their necks and watched as the moon's shadow blotted out the sun. Their excitement turned to silence as everyone took in the cosmic event of a lifetime. It was an awe-inspiring three minutes as the youngest member of the team yelled out, "That's really cool!"
It was cool, about 10 degrees cooler than it was before totality. The winds died out, as well, leaving our great lake as smooth as glass.
As brightness returned, the guys took one last look, a cherished memory shared on the water. Captain Gary tries to make every trip a great one for his clients, but on this trip, he had a whole lot of help from above.
"It's something none of us here — except for the youngster, about 20 — are never going to see again, you know?" he said "Very exciting. Very exciting."
A cosmic event of a lifetime, along with 26 walleye harvested. A great trip, any way you look at it, even through dark glasses.