[Geysers] GIANT, Sept. 26 @ 2235

[Tara Cross]

A message from Tara Cross <fanandmortar at hotmail.com>

Eeeek!  We all know about John and his "approximate" times (Feather 
Satellite on NOW).  Here's what I have in my notes regarding the events 
leading up to Giant:

9/25

0322 Grotto start, marathon
There were two hot periods after the start of the marathon, one stronger one 
immediately after the start and a weaker one a few hours in.  Sorry, I never 
got the exact times from Suzanne.
~2300 marathon ended

9/26

0440ie Giant hot period.  Duration unknown, but India was completely covered 
according to Graham.
0749 Giant hot period, d~4m.  Feather Satellite; Mastiff overflowed but did 
not surge.
~1040 strong pause or "footbath"

1142 Giant hot period, d=9m20s.  Feather Satellite started quickly and 
Mastiff surging was very strong until past 5 minutes in.  Most of the 
surging was steady to 3-4 feet and wide.  I even got out my "superduper" 
video camera for the 2nd time all year (the other time was on August 2).  
But after about 6 minutes, Mastiff only boiled to 1 and sometimes 2 feet, 
though it continued to overflow until after the 8-minute mark.  
Interestingly, there was no restart except for the usual bipping from 
Posthole.

1205 Grotto Fountain
1216 Grotto, first after marathon.
1540 Giant hot period, d=4m40s, called masterfully by John (Southwest Vents 
NOW).
1856 Giant hot period, d=3m55s.  Feather Satellite, Mastiff boiled to 1-2 
feet but overflow did not reach India.
Note: as early as 1800, Grotto Fountain was bubbling to a few inches.  
Grotto did not start its 2nd eruption until around 2100 (definitely i.e. at 
2107).  There were two strong pauses between the 1856 hot period and the 
eruption hot period, but no other events.
2226 Giant hot period.....
2235 Giant

I had set up my laptop in the Inn to work on a grad school assignment.  I 
guess if Suzanne had known I was there, she would have called the hot 
period.  I saw the steam cloud at 2250 and biked out to see it in the 
moonlight.

--Tara Cross
fanandmortar at hotmail.com

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