[Geysers] More about Giant 10-10--this time with report

[Patsy Nies]

Gary, thanks for the details and congratulations on your
Giant-after-20-years!!!  What an experience!
 
Patsy Nies, Special Project Assistant
Enrollment Services
University of North Dakota,  Box 8135
Grand Forks, ND  58202
(70l)777-3791
FAX (70l)777-4960
patsynies at mail.und.nodak.edu

>>> GARY EINSTEIN <greinstein at prodigy.net> 10/10/07 9:48 PM >>>

whops, forgot to add text.


With advance apologies to all those who know more than
I do, I will try to summarize today*s Giant eruption. 

I arrived in the park yesterday afternoon and found
Grotto in a mini-marathon.  Grotto was apparently I.
E. at 6:30 a.m. and was quiet when passing by at about
4:30 p. m.  There was no action at all at Giant
yesterday (10-9) afternoon.

I arrived at the upper basin about 8:30 this morning
and biked down to Fan & Mortar to see what was going
on.  (Yesterday p.m., there was alternating action
between F & M)  On the way, Grotto
was I. E., and there was water on the trail, and
steam, from Grotto*s Fountain.  Bijou was i.e., and I
watched Riverside at 9:18.

>From there, over to Giant, with Grotto still i.e..  To
my surprise,  I was the only one there, with only the
passing tourist.

I have sat through at least a dozen Giant hot periods,
but am far from an expert.  Something did not look
right.  From my arrival on, there was some splashing
from the rear of Mastiff onto the platform.  There was
bubbling from two areas on the platform.  Giant was
splashing occasionally.  Catfish would send water a
foot or so into the air.  This may be normal, but I
don*t remember seeing this kind of activity without a
hot period.

At 10:15 I looked back and saw no steam from Grotto,
and assume in was no longer erupting.

At 10:22, Bijou turned off, followed with the bathtub
filling and slight surges from Mastiff.

Feather and its companion went off*but gently.  Only
slight churning from Giant.  Mastiff only bubbling a
foot or two.

At about 8 min. in, Bijou restarted, followed by a
slowing down by the Feather.  Mastiff was quiet, but
the bathtub did not empty.

At 91/2 min., the platform vents picked up
aggressively.  (No Turtle that I saw).  Only slifgt
surging from Mastiff.

10 min in, Giant started churning onto the platform.

By this time I remembered what happens to stuff left
on the cage when Giant erupts, so I grabbed my
backpack and slowly backed of the cage (forgot my book
and gloves*anybody want a Giant water washed book?) 

By the 11 minute mark, Giant was surging over its
vent.  Still no Mastiff.

At about 11 1/4 min int the hot period, of course with
my urging, Giant erupted.

Never saw Mastiff erupt.

Through this entire time, I was the only person there.
Solo dinner at Eino*s?

Attached is a foto from today.  I also videoed from
start of hot period to eruption and checked my
notes/times with the movie.

Gary Einstein
at last, after 20+ years, seen a Giant eruption
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