COURTESY MARK STITHAM
Mark Stitham of Kailua found the Aloha Bar and Grill during a trip this month to Palm Cove, Queensland, Australia, where he finally saw a clear total solar eclipse — on his fourth try. His first attempt was as a teen in 1963 in Maine; he was in Kona for the 1991 eclipse; and in 1999 he went to China with eclipse seekers from Denver-based Sirius Travel, a group that organizes astronomy tours. In each case, clouds spoiled the view. But on Nov. 14, standing on the Great Barrier Reef at 6:40 a.m., again with Sirius travelers, the view was crystal clear. It was, Stitham said, “the most amazing thing. It looked like sunset in every direction.”