[Geysers] Geyser report May 3-4

[Polly Panos]

These are the times that I have written down for May 3.  Steve Eide was in most of the day, so I am sure that he will report more.  (Most of these times were from Steve.)

  Castle ie 824
  Daisy 842ie
  Riverside 950
  Grand 1114  
The Giant platform was quiet when I went by at around 10:30.  Steve thought that there had been a Grotto marathon overnight.

At Norris, I spent about 20 minutes observing Steamboat.  I was impressed with the amount of water that both vents were putting out, but few of the bursts were concerted.

These are my times from Monday, May 4

  Grand 2119e (from Sunday), 0425e, 1342 T1C
  Daisy 0824e, 1053, 1321
  Castle 1755e major (from Sunday), 1139ie major
  Plume 954, 1109, 1246, 1401 
  Aurum 1031
  Riverside 1036ns
  Beehive 1112 (Indicator 1100ns)

When I went by Giant early in the morning, Bijou was on lightly and there was little water in Giant's cone.  I checked Marathon Pool, but it was not down.  I did not walk over to Variable Spring.  On the platform, the signs had snow on them and looked like they were all in place (through binoculars).  (On Friday & Saturday, May 1-2, Giant's cone had more water in it and the splashing was higher than it was opening weekend.)

The bike path is clear, except for any recent snow.  The boardwalks are also mostly clear.  The lower gas station is open, which means that bathrooms are available after 9:00 a.m.

Eventful wait for Grand
   Maureen and I were sitting at Grand when we heard what sounded like 2 gunshots.  We noticed two law enforcement vehicles on the bike path, one near Castle and one across from Oblong.  An officer came hustling toward us from Castle yelling at us to head toward Lion.  She said that there was a wolf and they were shooting blanks to try to haze it away from the area.  After a few more shots, 3 bison and a calf came walking purposefully our way as we were on the path to Lion.  After a few minutes, the bison crossed the river away from us, law enforcement left, and we were able to return to Grand.  Apparently a lone wolf was trying to take the calf.  Law enforcement was successfully able to haze the wolf away from the basin.
   As we were returning to Grand, we saw a steam cloud down-basin to the left of Grotto.  We were worried that it might be F&M, so I went to get on my bike and check.  Then the steam cloud subsided, and did not go intermittent.  So I returned to Grand.  We were pretty sure that it was Artemisia (1300ie).  I was hoping to go down and check on the marker at Fan & Mortar again before I left the basin, but ran out of time.  (The marker was still in place Monday morning.)

Polly Panos