Med plans for 2026 Total eclipse of the sun

[DavidJ]

Just thought I’d post this for the Med guys to experience a total eclipse
You might be able to make a marina booking for 12 August 2026 in advance before everyone else does.
San Carles Marina looks close

 

[Gustywinds]

Now that’s an idea. A great part of the world, I worked out of San Carlos and Tarragona back in the ‘80s and we had a really great holiday in Sitges a couple of years ago .

 

[BobnLesley]

San Carles had a seriously good Fiesta sometime in August too, complete with bulls (only young ones) loose in the streets

 

[oldgit]

the path of the eclipse across the rest of Spain

Spectacular and really is a good chance to see this more or less on your doorstep , if you only do one thing !
Went to Abbeville in France in 1999...............
Tips and Hints.
Sky at Night Magazine.
"For the total solar eclipse, inland Spain and Mallorca have the highest chance of a clear sky, according to meteorologist Jay Anderson, an eclipse chaser who publishes climate studies of eclipse tracks on Eclipsophile.com. For those in Spain, where there’s a 35% chance of cloud cover, the message is simple: “In Spain, you stay on the plains — get away from hills and into the open fields of the countryside,” Anderson says. “I favor the more northerly parts of Spain as long as you’re on the south side of the mountains.” The eclipse will occur late in the day in Spain, so if there will be any thunderstorms, they will be underway by eclipse time,"
Approx 90% of Suns disc covered in UK and being August a tiny weeny chance it may not be cloudy.

 

[DavidJ]

Now that’s an idea. A great part of the world, I worked out of San Carlos and Tarragona back in the ‘80s and we had a really great holiday in Sitges a couple of years ago .

Yes, a great area. I’ve popped into the marina (SCM) a couple of times and have been welcomed by a really lovely bunch of people. My preference is northern Costa Brava but we don’t get eclipses
We often spend a couple of nights in Sitges, fun place, pleasant marina too.

 

[Bouba]

My suggestion for 2026 is we have a giant forum meetup at Wansworth’s house....he’s right under the flight path

 

[Hurricane]

Yes, about a month ago, I saw that the eclipse will be passing by Sant Carles in 2026.
The centre of the eclipse seems to be passing through Benecarlo which is less than 20 miles down the coast.
The time's aren't good either - seems to be late in the day (Palma being the last opportunity).
However, my thoughts are to have the car out there then and just use the boat as a base.
I think we would "seek out" somewhere isolated inland with minimum light pollution to get the best from it.
Probably take a picnic or something like that.
As usual, we would probably make a party of it with lots of friends in SCM.

By the way, the town is Sant Carles - not Carlos.
In fact, it isn't even Sant Carles any more - the town has renamed itself to La Rapita.
The marina still seems to be keeping the name of Sant Carles Marina though.

 

[DavidJ]

Yes, about a month ago, I saw that the eclipse will be passing by Sant Carles in 2026.
The centre of the eclipse seems to be passing through Benecarlo which is less than 20 miles down the coast.
The time's aren't good either - seems to be late in the day (Palma being the last opportunity).
However, my thoughts are to have the car out there then and just use the boat as a base.
I think we would "seek out" somewhere isolated inland with minimum light pollution to get the best from it.
Probably take a picnic or something like that.
As usual, we would probably make a party of it with lots of friends in SCM.

By the way, the town is Sant Carles - not Carlos.
In fact, it isn't even Sant Carles any more - the town has renamed itself to La Rapita.
The marina still seems to be keeping the name of Sant Carles Marina though.

Just for info, I quote

“The width of the path within which people will experience a total eclipse of the sun will be 115 miles (183 km) on average.”

So you should be able to sit on your boat and get the full effect. However I guess (and it is a guess) to get your full 2 minutes worth it’s worth getting as close to the “centre line” as possible.

Being boatless now, I’m going to travel to northern Spain.

 

[Bouba]

Being boatless now, I’m going to travel to northern Spain.

See you at Wansworth’s

 

[julians]

Looks like it passes pretty much directly over our apartment and boat in majorca, might see if we can be in majorca for it.

 

[Gustywinds]

Yes, a great area. I’ve popped into the marina (SCM) a couple of times and have been welcomed by a really lovely bunch of people. My preference is northern Costa Brava but we don’t get eclipses
We often spend a couple of nights in Sitges, fun place, pleasant marina too.

The marina at San Carlos de La Ràpitia ( as it was in those days) was much smaller when I was there, the harbour was mostly for small fishing boats and the oil service vessels ( which is what I was on) but the locals were fantastic, very laid back but also very keen to help out. Sitges was a big surprise for me, we booked as a last minute thing, flying out the next day, and didn’t realise it was the gay capital of Spain but we had a great time. Terrific beach and lovely old town area.

 

[Clancy Moped]

Looks like it passes pretty much directly over our apartment and boat in majorca, might see if we can be in majorca for it.

Likewise, I'll take a walk to the cathedral ramparts for a better view.

 

[Hurricane]

The marina at San Carlos de La Ràpitia ( as it was in those days) was much smaller when I was there, the harbour was mostly for small fishing boats and the oil service vessels ( which is what I was on) but the locals were fantastic, very laid back but also very keen to help out. Sitges was a big surprise for me, we booked as a last minute thing, flying out the next day, and didn’t realise it was the gay capital of Spain but we had a great time. Terrific beach and lovely old town area.

All changed in 2006-2008 during the building of the new MDL marina.
You are correct that there was and still is a small town marina.
The new Sant Carles Marina was built on the recovered part of the lagoon on the east side of the town.
Here is a virtual tour that I did from my drone of the new marina showing the area.
SCMCHAT 3D Virtual Tour
There are information flags in the virtual tour - one showing the location of the old marina and the town itself.
Hover your mouse over the tags or click a camera tag to switch views.
There is a substantial fishing boat port located between the new marina and the old marina.
This virtual tour is on the SCMCHAT forum/website

 

[DavidJ]

Looks like it passes pretty much directly over our apartment and boat in majorca, might see if we can be in majorca for it.

Great!
Forum party at your place then

 

[Seastoke]

Now that’s an idea. A great part of the world, I worked out of San Carlos and Tarragona back in the ‘80s and we had a really great holiday in Sitges a couple of years ago .

Great place for cricket.

 

[DownWest]

Cripes, I was in Sitges back in '66 . Bit 'Costa' with brit bars and fish and chips. Many years later, I was chatting with a guy, and it turned out he ran the bar we drank in and I knew his co- barista's father,as we sold his father's paintings in our place in Albufeira.
Small world...
Might give the mass party at Wandsworth's a miss... facilities could be a bit lacking for more than a half dozen..

 

[Bouba]

Cripes, I was in Sitges back in '66 . Bit 'Costa' with brit bars and fish and chips. Many years later, I was chatting with a guy, and it turned out he ran the bar we drank in and I knew his co- barista's father,as we sold his father's paintings in our place in Albufeira.
Small world...
Might give the mass party at Wandsworth's a miss... facilities could be a bit lacking for more than a half dozen..

Wansy has two years to prepare…I’m sure he could rustle up some sandwiches by then

 

[DownWest]

Wansy has two years to prepare…I’m sure he could rustle up some sandwiches by then

Likely some British Rail rejects, 'slightly curly' at the edges..

 

[Gustywinds]

Likely some British Rail rejects, 'slightly curly' at the edges..

'There is a feeling which persists in England that making a sandwich interesting, attractive, or in any way pleasant to eat is something sinful that only foreigners do.
"Make 'em dry," is the instruction buried somewhere in the collective national consciousness, "make 'em rubbery. If you have to keep the buggers fresh, do it by washing 'em once a week."
It is by eating sandwiches in pubs on Saturday lunchtimes that the British seek to atone for whatever their national sins have been. They're not altogether clear what those sins are, and don't want to know either. Sins are not the sort of things one wants to know about. But whatever their sins are they are amply atoned for by the sandwiches they make themselves eat.'

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