[Geysers] July 13 Giant details

[Karl and Lori Hoppe]

MaryBeth reported the somewhat disappointing recovery
hot period of July 12 - a 17 hour marathon (not as
long as we'd hoped) with an ~9 hour recovery (longer
than expected) but resulted in a 10 minute hot period
and no eruption.  Thunderstorms kept me out of the
basin until about midnight.  From there Giant did the
following:

Note that in many of these hot periods there could
have been more vents playing (especially Rust), but
couldn't be fully identified due to steam.

Arrived 0040, Giant hot period in progress.
Feather, Feather's satellite, SW Vents

Grotto was 0040 ie.
Grotto was off before 0145.

Giant hot period; 0201, D=3:34, Feather, SW Vents
(weak HP)
Giant hot period; 0301ns (woke me up), D~3 minutes,
Feather, Feather's satellite, SW Vents (weak for a
Feather's satellite HP)
Giant hot period; 0409, D=5:13, Feather, Feather's
satellite, SW Vents (moderate, little runoff from
Mastiff)
Oblong 0427 ie
Giant hot period; 0507, Feather, SWV, D=2:15 (very
weak)
Giant hot period; 0605, Feather, SWV, D=1:54 (very
weak)

Grotto Fountain had been bubbling since before 0530,
so as we approached 7am I was very interested in this
hot period.  I expected a strong hot period around the
time of Grotto based on previous hot period experience
from the week.  

0702 Grotto Fountain
0703 S Grotto Fountain
0704 Giant Hot Period
0707 Grotto
0714 Giant start

Mastiff stayed 1-2 feet for the first 3-4 minutes of
the hot period, the only real change (to that
point)compared to the 0409 hot period.  The main
differences: around the 5 minute mark the hot period
increased in discharge, especially from Mastiff, and
Cave was bubbling 3-6 inches 

Around the 6 minute mark Kitt reported from down the
boardwalk toward Oblong that Mastiff was the height of
the cone.  Shortly after that the steam cleared and
showed Cave to 1 foot.

Around the 7 minute mark we saw Cave to at least 2
feet and then all eyes turned to Giant.  From the 8 to
10 minute mark we saw increasing surges from Giant,
until the eruption finally took off at 0714.

I highly recommend the view from the cage.

The Hatfield's saw the start from Grand.  Kitt,
Donnie, and Jim plus several visitors were there at
the start.  Kitt was too chicken to join me in the
cage.  Lori Hoppe and my brother Ben arrived shortly
afterwards.

And to respond to Emily Bailey:
Do you suppose those people sitting at Old Faithful
have any idea what they are missing?  

Yes, because Ben Hoppe was recording it from there as
it started - few people within earshot of him (and
especially his radio which I was admittedly screaming
through) could have missed it...  



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