[Geysers] Giant activity, May 26-30

Tara Cross fanandmortar at hotmail.com
Thu Jun 1 01:00:24 PDT 2006


This report summarizes the activity at Giant over the weekend, May 26-30.  Unfortunately Dave and I had to leave at 1230 on the 30th, so I cannot speak to anything that happened after that time.  Hopefully others will be able to fill in the details of the activity leading up to the eruption.

May 26

~0915 Grotto ends marathon, duration approximately 27 hours
1727 Giant hot period, d=10m40s.  Mastiff surging 1-3 feet, India covered.
2058 Giant hot period, short duration

May 27

Grotto in marathon, start time not noted (two marathons in a row)
~1700 Grotto ends marathon
2222 Giant hot period, d~9m40s.  Mastiff surging 1-3 feet, India covered.

May 28

~0550 Giant hot period, short duration
0715ns Grotto Fountain
0731 Grotto Fountain ends, no Grotto (South Grotto Fountain erupted about every 10 minutes for the next 90 minutes).
0747 Giant hot period, d=8m50s.  Mastiff 1-3 feet, 5 feet max.
0916 Grotto Fountain
0919 Giant hot period, d~2m
0926 Grotto
1046 Giant hot period, d=3m05s
1110 Grotto end
1224 Giant hot period, d=1m24s
1458 Giant hot period, d=8m42s
~1700 Grotto (start missed due to snow storm), normal eruption.
1823 Giant hot period, d=3m45s
2217 Giant hot period, d~4m

May 29

0900 Giant hot period, d=8m21s.  Mastiff 1-3 feet, India covered.
0940 Grotto Fountain
0944 Grotto
1052 Rocket
1106 Giant hot period, d=2m45s
1257 Giant hot period, d~1m
1421 Giant hot period, d~2m
1511 Grotto Fountain
1514 Grotto
1528 Giant hot period, d~4m
1631 Grotto off
1636 Giant hot period, d~2m
1737 Giant hot period, d~8m30s.  Mastiff sustained surging over 4 feet, 8 feet max, Cave vent active.
No further observations due to snow storm.

May 30

0736ie Giant hot period, d>6m.  Mastiff 2-3 feet.
0835ns Grotto
0840 Giant hot period, d~1m
0934 Rocket major
1002 Bathtub
1103 Giant hot period, d~3m
1203 Giant hot period, d=2m09s

Thanks to the many who called hot periods, particularly Paul Strasser and KC Thomson.  Any additions/corrections to this information are welcomed.

On the 30th, several gazers were trapped in the Hams parking lot, unable to move towards Giant because a group of bison were blocking both the bike path and gravel path to Castle.  We were then amused to hear KC call out that a bison was walking between the viewing platform and Giant's cone DURING the hot period.

There has been at least a slight shift in energy on the platform; the Southwest Vents were sometimes starting before Feather, Turtle was more active, and Cave Vent was seen during strong hot periods.  Also there were a LOT of normal Grotto eruptions after the marathon on the 27th.  My (very) rough count was 8 or 9 as of the last eruption we saw on the 30th.  After the superlative hot period on the 29th, I felt very strongly when we left that Giant would erupt either going into the next Grotto marathon or during the post-marathon recovery period.  At least it did not erupt a few hours after we left.

-- Tara Cross
fanandmortar at hotmail.com

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