[Geysers] Any word on Splendid?

[Paul Strasser]

Pat Snyder wrote:
>>>>
Not sure about other Splendid reports, but on the evening of June 2,  
near sunset, I was waiting for Daisy and saw a huge boil from  
Splendid, probably three or four feet high. It was pretty fast, a few  
seconds, if that. Then nothing. It startled me, though. It happened  
about five minutes before Daisy erupted.<<<<

One factoid in understanding Splendid is that there are two sources of
water/energy within its main vent.  This results in a lot of confusion about
what is and isn't going on there.

As you look at the crater of Splendid from the north boardwalk, you see a
large pool of water on the left, separated by a septum of sinter from a
smaller pool on the right.  (The right pool is Not the side boiler, as will
be explained.) 

Within the left pool lies the vent of Splendid.  It is not centrally located
within this pool, but lies slightly south of center (you can see it as a
slightly darker area of water when its pool is quiet, or immediately after a
Daisy eruption).  Its vent is quite deep and steeply sided beyond the funnel
shape near its surface.  About a foot down the main vent, on its northern
side (the side closest to the boardwalk) is a separate water source.  This
is the "Side Boiler," so named by Marie Wolf in the 70s.  The side boiler is
the source of just about all boiling and activity I've seen since 1997.  For
the uninitiated it is extremely difficult to tell whether the source of the
boiling is the main vent or the side boiler - especially because the side
boiler is actually more centrally located within the left pool (remember -
the main vent it located south of center; the side boiler is on the northern
edge of this off-center vent.)

People with some experience at Splendid can quickly tell the two apart = and
its rather easy when both vents are active simultaneously.  Generally, the
main vent's activity can fill the pool very quickly, even prior to any
surging.  Its action is much more violent and agitated than the Side Boiler,
which can continue low-grade boiling for many minutes.  

It's quite possible that Pat saw some action from the Main Vent rather than
the side boiler - there's just no way of knowing (without photos).  Even a
couple of occasional splashes from the main vent still happen, though.  I'd
suspect that a shift of energy would reveal itself in a far more agitated,
angry Splendid, with water pouring out of its crater in almost every
direction.  

When's the last time there was even a "false start?"

Paul Strasser