A view of Iwo Jima (Iwo To) as it is today. Note the coordinates of the center of the photo listed at the bottom.
OBSERVE THE JULY 22 TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE ON THE ISLAND OF IWO JIMA ON OUR
TOUR JULY 18 - 24, 2009
LAST UPDATED August 21, 2008
A view of Iwo Jima (Iwo To) as it is today. Note the coordinates of the center of the photo listed at the bottom.
*Tour package cost includes the charter flight from Guam to Iwo Jima; but, airfare to Guam to/from the mainland US will
be at additional cost or you may use frequent flier
miles to get to Guam. These fares will be quoted in September from Newark, Houston, and Los Angeles.
For SINGLE SUPPLEMENT: add $775.
Our 36th solar eclipse expedition features a total solar eclipse that will
be visible in the Pacific Ocean at midday on July 22, 2009. The expedition features a chartered Boeing 737 aircraft
flying from Agana, Guam to Iwo Jima. Observation will only be carried out on Iwo Jima, not from the aircraft, due to
the fact that the sun is directly overhead and the aircraft cannot be maneuvered to allow viewing. This
eclipse expedition will be coordinated and led by Paul D. Maley of the NASA Johnson Space Center Astronomical
Society.
Group Size - Due to the capacity of the charter flight between Guam and Iwo Jima (115 persons), space is limited. Each
registration is date stamped and processed upon receipt until the aircraft is filled. Registrations in excess
of this number will be notified of their status and given the choice of cancelling or remaining on a “waitlist”
until 30 days prior to departure.
Because of the great demand to see the eclipse from Iwo Jima and to ensure that every tour participant is
guaranteed a spot on the flight to Iwo Jima, we cannot offer an "Iwo Jima only day tour". This trip must be taken
in its entirety as shown below.
The famous landmark, Mt. Suribachi on the southwest tip of Iwo Jima.
An example of the corona during the total eclipse on a long exposure.
Iwo To, formerly known as Iwo Jima, island of Japan, largest of the three Volcano Islands, in the western
Pacific Ocean. About 9 km (6 mi) long and 4 km (2 mi) wide, the island is mountainous and volcanic in origin.
Mount Suribachi (161 m/ 528 ft), an extinct volcano, is the island's highest elevation. Currently the island
is under military control and used as a part time training base by the Japanese and American forces. The
Volcano Islands, south of the Bonin Islands, were annexed by
Japan in 1891.
During World War II (1939-1945), Iwo To was the site of a Japanese air base. The island’s civilian population
was evacuated in 1944 as U.S. forces battled Japan in the War of the Pacific. Japanese naval officers mistakenly
referred to the island as Iwo Jima, and that is how it became known when the United States Marine Corps
invaded the island in 1945. Under the peace treaty signed between the Allies and
Japan in 1951, the Volcano Islands were placed under the provisional administration of the U.S. Navy. They
were returned to Japan in 1968 and are under the jurisdiction of Tokyo's prefectural government.
In 2007 the Japanese Geographical Survey Institute announced that it was renaming Iwo Jima as Iwo To, the
name given to the island by its original Japanese inhabitants. Translated into English, Iwo To and Iwo Jima
both mean "Sulfur Island".
Expedition is to Guam and Iwo Jima. Where in the world are these places? They are just south of Japan.
July 18 (Saturday): GUAM
Arrive Guam in the early evening on July 18. Situated in the Western Pacific, approximately 3,800 miles west
of Hawaii and 1,550 miles south of Japan, Guam provides beautiful and secluded beaches, world-class diving
and snorkeling, and a variety of cultural and historical sites, activities and events.
After arrival and processing through immigration, collect your luggage. People are required to move their
own bags thru customs and to the bus. We provide well marked
luggage tags. The bags will be brought to each room. We also have special check in procedures to make it easier.
Transfer from the Agana, Guam airport to the Outrigger Hotel.
Outrigger Guam Resort's exceptional accommodations and guest service will impress both business and
leisure travelers. Enjoy a traditional Chamorro welcome. Every guest room features an ocean view. Voyagers
Club executive level accommodations offer a private lounge. The hotel’s renowned Mandara Spa and Salon pampers
with a full menu of rejuvenating therapies. All this and the hotel’s warm island hospitality combine to offer
the most satisfying hotel experience on Guam. Nearby are TGI Friday's, Planet Hollywood, and the Hard Rock
Cafe amongst other restaurants. Across the street and in the hotel itself are groups of designer shops.
Overnight Guam.
The Outrigger Hotel is located right on Tumon Beach, Guam
Typical room at the hotel
July 19 (Sunday): GUAM
Breakfast this morning in the hotel from 6.30 to 930am. However, pay attention to the tour board as each day
it is updated for the group. After breakfast we will have a briefing on the upcoming activities.
Full day touring the southern part of the island including Asan Beach and Overlook, Agat Point, the museum,
and the War Dog Memorial. Tours generally return by 3:00pm to allow beach time! Asan Bay Overlook with its
panoramic view and its Memorial Wall which contain 16,142
names of Chamorro and American casualties who suffered or died during the war on Guam. The Guam Museum
in Hagatna has on display the tools and implements fashioned by a diehard Japanese soldier discovered in a
man made cave deep in the forest in 1972. This remarkable man had been in hiding since the Americans liberated
Guam in 1944.
Late lunch at the famous "Jeff's Pirates Cove". (B,L)
The first monument dedicated to dogs who served along side US marines in World War II is on Guam
Our Outrigger Hotel location with various surrounding landmarks
July 20 (Monday): GUAM
Note to divers: We recommend this day on the itinerary if you are thinking about doing optional cost diving.
Guam has excellent diving. The calmest months are between April - August, but since virtually all
of the diving is on leeward (west) side of Guam just about all of the sites are available all the time. Guam
waters maintain a temperature of 82-86 (28C) degrees year 'round with excellent visibility at most locations.
Apra Harbor divesites generally have visibility in the 30-60'(10-20m) range, and all "outside" reefs offer
100-150' (33m) and more. Above water temperatures are consistently between 75-90
(24-29C) every day! With a few exceptions, diving on Guam is VERY EASY. There are numerous walk-in reef dives,
and a very wide choice of boat dive sites. There are virtually no swells 95% of the year, and most dive sites
are within an easy 10-20 minute ride by boat. There are walls, drift dives, planes, ship wrecks, and a wide choice of
reefs. Among the most popular sites are the Blue Hole, Crevice, Coral Gardens, Haps Reef, Pete's Reef, Barracuda
Rock and the twin shipwrecks of the Tokai Maru and the SMS Cormoran. There are over 60 sites around the
island and Guam has over 200 species of coral and an abundance of marine life at most locations. There is also
a very good variety of beach diving sites most with very easy entries and exit. It is possible to take a "4 Wreck
Dive trip" in one day: One of the most popular boat charters is to make a 2 tank boat dive on the Tokai/Cormoran (first
dive), and then move to the Val Bomber for a 10 minute "quickie" dive, followed up by finishing the tank at
the American Tanker.
Afternoon briefing at the hotel about the island of Iwo Jima and the solar eclipse. An eclipse simulation will
also occur at this time. Overnight Guam (B,L)
July 21 (Tuesday): GUAM LIBERATION DAY
Every July the entire island of Guam comes out to celebrate its liberation from enemy occupation during
the Second World War. Japanese forces landed on this American-owned Micronesian island in 1941, occupying it
until US troops recaptured it in July 1944. A whole host of ceremonies, memorials and festive events take place
all over the island in a week-long build-up to the big day itself. In towns and villages across Guam, local
carnivals, feasting and general celebration is the order of the day. On Liberation Day itself, festivities center
on a colourful parade that runs down Marine Corps Drive in Hagatña. Spectacular floats are built and paraded by
local villagers and costumed marchers take to the streets amid music, barbecue smoke and the sound of fireworks.
A Liberation Day Queen is crowned and music continues well into the night. Transportation will be provided to
specific Liberation Day events.
Now is the time to sample some of the delicious local dishes on offer along the parade route. Tuck into red rice,
shrimp patties, pancit noodles, barbecued ribs, chicken and taro leaves cooked in coconut milk. Don't leave
without trying kelaguen, a chicken dish smothered in lemon juice, grated coconut and hot peppers. To round off
your meal, do as the locals do and chew on a pugua (betel nut), mixed with powdered lime and wrapped in a pepper
leaf.
Here is the Liberation Day preliminary schedule of events. The schedule will be updated on arrival.
Scene from along the parade route
July 22 (Wednesday): ECLIPSE DAY: IWO JIMA
Due to a very early morning departure to see the eclipse it is recommended to try to get enough sleep so you
will be ready for the big day. Overnight Guam. (B,L)
Our chartered aircraft is similar to this one. All seats are considered coach.
Early morning wakeup (3:00am). Meet in the hotel lobby at 4:00am. Coffee and juice available in the lobby.
Transfer from hotel to the Agana, Guam airport for your flight to Iwo Jima. Full breakfast on the airplane.
Depart Agana around 6:00am and arrive in Iwo Jima at Motoyama airfield#2 at 730am.
We will be based at the hangar at the eastern end of
the main runway where bathrooms and water and shelter will be available. Observation will take place on the
concrete tarmac or if you like you can stake out a site off to the side of the hangar. Water, toilets and shade
are available here. Going up the perimeter road to the northeastern shore will gain you an additional 6
seconds of totality but there are no facilities there.
Observing the eclipse from Mt. Suribachi might be possible but at a loss of 13 seconds of totality!
8:15am- Experience the Eclipse 5k "Run for the Sun" if you choose. This 5k run/walk is now a RING OF FIRE EXPEDITIONS
tradition and will take place on Iwo Jima beginning south of the airfield continuing to the southwest
past bunkers and gun emplacements continuing to the base of Mt. Suribachi, then heads northeast and finally
east back to the airfield. Bring your own towel and soap. Shower facilities will be available in the hangar.
Be quick because the partial phases of the eclipse begin around 10am.
Map of running route for the Eclipse 5k
Our base of operations at the airfield hangar
Box lunch served on the island after the eclipse.
2:00pm- Island tour of battlefield. Ample opportunity to visit nearby beaches and Japanese bunkers. A circuit of the
island will be made by vehicle, stopping at significant points of interest. Scheduled stops are: Landing
Beaches, Memorial Sites, Green Beach, Base of Suribachi, Top of Suribachi, Naval Gun revetments, Hospital Cave,
General Kuribayashi's HQ cave, and much more.
Gun emplacement
Hospital cave where mummified remains were found
Beached landing craft
Bunkers from World War II battle
4:00pm - Begin embarkation process for return flight to Guam.
4:30pm - our plane departs Iwo Jima and you will have dinner on the aircraft. We should return to the hotel
in Guam around 8:30pm. Transfer back to the Outrigger Hotel for overnight. Overnight Guam. (B,L,D)
July 23 (Thursday): GUAM
After breakfast depart on a historical tour of Andersen Air Force Base which will include the museum and the
Arc Light Memorial with lunch at the "Top of the Rock". Andersen Air Force Base opened as North Field in 1944,
and was primarily used as a B-29 staging base in the Pacific during WWII. Later it was renamed after Brigadier
General James R. Andersen, former Chief of Staff for the Army Air Force, Pacific, who was lost at sea returning
to Honolulu in 1945. The base continues to support strategic operations in the region, and serves as a staging
base for activities in Asia and the South Pacific. The bulk of Andersen's duties since WWII have been as a
Strategic Air Command (SAC) base, supporting activities in Korea and Vietnam.
Remainder of the afternoon at leisure or for shopping. Note that The air base has a gift store with items from
all over Asia Overnight Guam. (B,L).
B1 bomber on the runway at Andersen AFB
July 24 (Friday): GUAM to USA
This morning you will depart to the airport for your flight home or additional touring. End of a great trip.
BASIC TOUR PRICE INCLUDES:
Eclipse viewing glasses for the partial phases
FUEL SURCHARGE
Although the fuel surcharge for the charter flight Guam-Iwo Jima is included in the price as currently known, due
to unpredictable changes in the price of oil, it is possible
those charges would change between now and the time of tour departure. Should fuel prices increase, we may be forced
to institute an additional surcharge which is beyond our control.
BASIC TOUR PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE:
AIR PACKAGE
An air package from Los Angeles, Newark or Houston will be available at extra cost and posted later.
OPTIONAL TOURS
1. PRE TOUR TO TIBET JULY 9-17. CLICK HERE.
Note that this tour is timed to be convenient for both the China eclipse team and Iwo Jima team. Persons going on the Tibet pretour will need to leave Shanghai on July 17 (instead of July 18 which is the formal end of that tour) in order to get to Iwo Jima in time for the start of that tour.
2. POST TOUR TO SAIPAN AND TINIAN JULY 24-27. CLICK HERE.
CANCELLATION FEES (per person)
Carlson Wagonlit Future Travel recommends that each client purchase adequate trip cancellation/interruption insurance, medical, baggage, accident and other personal effects insurance. Trip cancellation/interruption insurance must be purchased at time of initial deposit. Clients should be aware that we cannot guarantee the weather for this astronomical event or any other.
TO PURCHASE THE "CRUISE, TOUR AND TRAVEL" INSURANCE PACKAGE PERFORM THE FOLLOWING STEPS:
1) Read a description of the Travel Guard package: COVERAGE INCLUDES
2) Fill out the forms to buy the package here: TRAVEL GUARD INSURANCE LINK
