[Geysers] Trip report 9-15 to 20

[Stephen J. Eide]

Greetings and Salutations,

I was in the park for a short visit, I was going to stay one day longer
but low temps, steady rain, and the promise of 30 mph winds convinced me
to leave a day early.  Giant was true to form, erupting four hours
before I reached the park and again a day and a half after I left.  Most
of the big geysers have already been reported but I try to include any
additional info I may have.

On 9-15 I arrived to find Beehive (1744) and Depression (1746) ie.  That
was it for the day except for a few Plume eruptions all about an hour
apart. Over the time I was in the park Plume would have days of about
one hour intervals with occasional days of intervals in the 70-85 minute
range.  On the whole the interval (whatever it was) was stable for the
day.

On 9-16 Grand was at 909 T1C with a duration of 13 min 6 sec. Plumes
today were in the 65 to 80 minute range.  Daisy apparently had intervals
of 4 hr 13 minutes and 3 hr 46 minutes (Daisy 741, 1154, 1540).  I say
apparently because with Giant's recent eruption there were less people
down basin so I suppose an eruption could have been missed.

On 9-17 as Scott Bryan mentioned I started the day with a long wait for
Pink Cone to erupt.  The roadside bubblers were on at about 624 when I
drove up.  I saw Pink at 627 ie, Narcissus at 644 ie and 847 ie, a lot
of Beads and Box eruptions, one Labial at 912, and finally Pink Cone at
1016.  I know Lynn has told me the roadside bubblers can go for a long
time prior to Pink Cone starting, but bubblers for 3 hr 55 min + is a
record for me so far.  Scott gave me a Fountain time of 703 ie so by
noon I had the choice of waiting for either Great Fountain or Fountain.
I found Great Fountain already in overflow at 1206 but it appeared to
have only recently started.  I went out to look at Fountain and ended up
staying there.  Great Fountain was at 1324 with a superburst per Scott
Bryan.  Out at Fountain Jet was just gurgling but appeared to be unable
to start.  At 1317 Spasm started, then finally Jet at 1317 also.  After
that Jets were about every nine minutes until Fountain started at 1354 d
= 31.  When I got to the upper basin Grotto was already ie at 1604 and
it had been going for some time, I was told by Steve from Sacramento
that Giant's platform and Bijou were already off.  I caught a Grand at
1701 T3C (yes, three bursts, and for a second I thought we were going to
get four), Pyramid at 1815, and Daisy at 1822.  Grotto was still going
as darkness set in.

On 6-18 I reached Giant/Grotto area about 620 with Grotto off, Marathon
pool down about 3-4 inches from the pink shoulder, and just after I
returned to Giant had a hot period at 635, D about 5 minutes with
Mastiff only overflowing more than lightly at the three minute mark,
platform vents involved were Feather, Feather Satellite, Southwest
Vents, and Rust.  Daisy was at 807 ie and 1032.  Oblong 818 ie.  While
waiting at Grand someone called Beehive indicator ie so I started to the
main hill.  Looking back when I reached Sawmill I saw Grand ie at 914
and then turned to find Beehive ie at 916.  O, well, Grand was a two
burst.  I went out to Fountain at about 1126.  Spasm just didn't seem
able to start although it did boil in the vent just high enough to
occasionally see a few drops now and then.  Jet intervals were in the
7-11 minute range.  Fountain started at 1227 D = 33.  All of the
Fountain eruptions I saw this visit started from a middle level pool.
All of them had two "drop and rise" effects of the pool level before the
Fountain rise started the eruption.  I have noticed this effect prior to
most of the eruptions of Fountain this year.  This starts 5-15 minutes
before the eruption starts, the pool on Fountain will drop about
one-half to one inch in about a minute.  After about two minutes the
pool level will come back up the same amount.  This will happen one to
three times (usually two) and then the Fountain rise starting the
eruption will start.  Has anyone else notice something like this?  The
only thing I have for the rest of the day is a series of Oblique
eruptions with intervals of 9-10 minutes.  I didn't time the durations,
but they all appeared to be about 2 1/2 minutes.

On 9-19 Grand erupted before dawn at 542e.  Lion had a series of three
eruptions at 636, 759, and 905 ie.  Oblong 753 ie as the geyser fog was
lifting.  Daisy was 759.  Scott Bryan already talked about the Central
vents and Startling but Grotto started at 1004 (although by that time I
had left expecting a longer delay until Grotto's start).  Just after I
ordered breakfast Beehive indicator was called at 1019 and Beehive
erupted at 1035.  The next two Daisy eruptions were at 1014 and 1234.
Castle had a minor overnight at 213 e but did not erupt again until 1217
ie.  Grand was at 1334 T2Q D=11:00.  At Fountian Spasm was ie at 1505 (I
have a report it started at 1454) and Jets were every 8-12 minutes until
Fountain started at 1541 D = 33.  Clepsydra turned off at 1628 for five
minutes.  Grotto was still ie from the 1004 eruption at nightfall.

On 9-20 I reached the Giant/Grotto area at 620.  The water in the Grotto
run off channels was not steaming (it was not a particularly cold
morning) but it was lukewarm.  When I got to Spa it was still ie at 624
with occasional bursts to 5-30 feet.  I saw it again ie at 704 but it
appeared to be off at 725.  Oblong was 1121, Daisy at 1144, and
Riverside at 1213.  (note, prior to this the last record Riverside was
9-19 at 948 so the time for a quad interval was 26 hr 25 min or an
average interval for the last four Riverside eruptions of 6 hr 36 min).
The Giant hot period has already been reported, it started at 1508, last
10 minutes 10 seconds with a restart of about two minutes but with no
Giant.  Castle was ie at 1531 (within a minute or two of the start
time), Daisy was 1814 ie, Riverside 1851 ie (the fifth long interval in
a row) and Grand was 1902 T1Q.  I left at dawn the next day.

I'll be back at least one more time before November's close to try to
catch a Giant start.  As long as it keeps going, I'll keep trying.

Stephen J. Eide