Hundreds get glimpse of first sunrise

Over a thousand residents and tourists flocked to different vantage points on the island at dawn of Jan. 1 to witness a once-in-a-lifetime experience — to see the first sunrise of the new millennium.

Armed with cameras to document the event and bringing champagne bottles to celebrate it, the so-called sunchasers jammed Bird Island, Suicide Cliff and Banzai Cliff in northern Saipan and Mt. Tapochau, the island’s highest peak, to get a glimpse of the sunrise at 6:45 a.m.

But thick clouds cast shadow on their celebration on that early morning as the golden-yellow sun only managed to peek through a few minutes later than scheduled.

At Mt. Tapochau, hundreds of Korean tourists jostled for view although most of them went home disappointed as the overcast skies dampened their moods.

“I felt sad that I didn’t get to see the sunrise as I hoped it would appear,” said Soo Min Park, from Seoul who spent her New Year on Saipan. “But it’s okay since you only get to see this once in 1,000 years.”

Marilou Baptista-Quiatchon brought along six others for a trek to Tapochao to see the sunrise, but she too was disappointed that thick clouds ruined what she called a chance of a lifetime.

“You don’t see this often,” she said. “The clouds are really thick it’s just impossible to get a good view of the sun.”

Vicky Reyes, on the other hand, was happy to be part of this event. “It’s a good feeling to be the first to see the sunrise,” she said.

“It feels so good,” quipped Jun San Nicolas, who along with Vicky and other relatives, trooped to the mountain peak bringing drinks and food for a celebration.

They left around 7:00 a.m. immediately after the sunrise, along with others on board cars, vans, and pickup trucks. There were also a few who went on foot beginning as far as the old Division of Public Lands office in Capitol Hills.

Meanwhile, busloads of Japanese and Korean tourists and a few island residents packed the Bird Island view-deck on early morning of Jan. 1 to watch the sunrise.

According to Pol Panaga, they broke into wild applause and popped champagne bottles at the first glimpse of the morning sun. But the thick clouds also spoiled their experience.

“I was hoping the sun would appear just above the horizon and show its rays on the ocean,” he said.