LAND'S END, England (Reuters) - Even Samaritan suicide counselors have been called in to soothe the frayed nerves of British drivers in expected traffic jams on the way to viewing Wednesday's Eclipse.

The tiny southwestern corner of England, where the best view is expected, could be overwhelmed with up to one million tourists, officials say.

But the weather forecast is not promising and many have been put off by tales of sky-high prices for visitors.

Still, all police leave has been cancelled and a one million pound ($1.62 million) security operation launched with 60 "eclipse special" motorcycle teams patrolling even the remotest country lanes of Devon and Cornwall.

Four helicopters and an aircraft will also monitor any giant traffic jams in the build-up to Wednesday's two minute and six second total eclipse.

Police face two headaches on the security front -- drug dealers infiltrating eclipse pop festivals and anarchists urging their supporters to take to the streets and make mayhem.

The sea could prove to be an equally daunting challenge for maritime authorities.

Up to 500,000 people are expected to take to boats for a chance to see the moon shadow sweeping in over the Atlantic.

An eclipse can trigger freak weather. Winds and currents could suddenly change as temperatures drop. Chaos could prevail in pitched darkness with small boats drifting into busy shipping lanes.

"We expect up to 500,000 people to be afloat on who knows how many boats. It will be a hellish day," warned Coastguard spokesman Richard Day.

For such numbers dwarf the wartime armada that carried out the evacuation of Dunkirk in 1940 -- just 700 vessels.

The Civil Aviation Authority has urged private pilots of small planes not to fly when the sky is suddenly plunged into darkness by the eclipse.

"Because of the potential for air space congestion and limited air traffic control, pilots are strongly recommended not to fly within the zone of totality during the eclipse," it said in a circular to pilots.

Even the Land's End cliff rescue team of horse riders is on high alert in case errant eclipse watchers tumble over the precariously brittle shale cliffs while gawking at the sun.

Hospitals are braced for emergencies and doctors ready to treat patients by remote-control videolinks if gridlock strikes the roads and ambulances cannot get through.

And the planning was so thorough that Cornish women were advised nine months ago not to get pregnant -- in case they couldn't get to hospital amid the crush of eclipse revelers.