[Geysers] Geyser Report (5/31)

[Lynn Stephens]

THIS MESSAGE IS FOR THE PERSONAL USE OF THE SUBSCRIBERS TO THIS LISTSERV AND MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED FOR ANY OTHER  PURPOSE, INCLUDING PUBLICATION IN THE SPUT.
 
My morning started with a bright pink and orange sunrise.  
 
After delogging at the Visitor Center, I went to the office to work on transcribing the January 2009 logbook.  At 0606 Adam Norris (who, as an aid to helping me remember his last name said "Probably the only gazer with a geyser basin named after him" announced "water in Beehive's Indicator."  As I was closing down the computer, he followed up quickly with "Beehive's Indicator--0606."  I patted my pockets to make certain I had my keys, radio, and logbook, and scooted down the back stairs.  Knowing there would be few vehicles in the Lodge parking lot, I drove over, then made my way quickly up geyser hill to Beehive.
 
We had another "longish" indicator this morning--18 minutes lead time before Beehive erupted (0624, d=4m33s).  Yesterday afternoon the 18-minute Indicator stuttered, almost quitting at one point, leading some of us to start having niggling little thoughts of "false Indicators?"  As Jim Schreirer said, no Fan & Mortar, no Giant, false Indicators, long Grand intervals, wouldn't that be awful!"  But, as long as Beehive keeps having short intervals, Jim also said, "I'm going to lose 30 pounds just trying to get back and forth to see Beehive."
 
The wind was blowing the water curtain toward Depression.  The sun had not yet risen over the horizon behind us, but there was sunlight on the top of the column.  What started as a faint rainbow a couple minutes later turned into a much better one.  There were 7 people on the other side of the river who were out for early morning walks that got to see Beehive, as well as 1 photographer, Adam and Karen Norris, George and Sue Schroeder, Jim Schreier, Steve Eide, Phil Meerians, and myself on Geyser Hill.  

 
George and Sue were already packed for their trip home--"just breakfast and then go" was their remaining itinerary for the morning.  So Beehive was an excellent send-off.  (I asked where Pat Snyder was this morning since I would have expected to see her at this eruption.  I was told she had left yesterday.  Sorry I missed saying good-bye Pat.)

 

This afternoon I had just gotten back to the office after getting the start of Till's eruption when I heard Tom Kearney ask if any geyser gazers were on Geyser Hill because he thought maybe the Indicator was erupting.  No one responded as I was frantically trying to save the file I was typing and shut down the computer.  As I was scurrying down the back stairs, Tom announced he could see water from the Indicator above Beehive's Cone--Beehive's Indicator 1735ie.  Because I knew Old Faithful's next prediction was about 1750, I figured the Lodge parking lot would be full, so drove to the Inn parking lot instead.  About the time I reached the overlook, I saw the crew of gazers from Grand come around the bend past Lion.  We all made it there for Beehive's eruption at 1751 (I = 11h27m).  
 
Steve Eide arrived yesterday and will be staying through Thursday.  He stayed in the Lower Basin yesterday afternoon to get Fountain since none had been reported.  Fountain was at 1545, d=31.  Morning's Thief erupted at 1547 (about 20') and 1549 (about 15') and tried for a third.  When he returned to the Upper Basin yesterday afternoon and heard the Beehive time he replied, "Well, I can't be two places at the same time," to which I responded, "How very well I know."  So this morning's Beehive was nice timing for him since he can now spend time in the Fountain Complex.

 

Steve got Fountain again this morning (0950) and left near the end of Great Fountain's first burst so he could get the start of Pink Cone (1144, I = 24h18m).  After Great Fountain finished, I went over to Pink Cone to get the druation--103 minutes.

 

I was told this afternoon's Fountain was 1509, for an interval of 5h19m.

 

A double interval for Till overnight was 18h17m, for a 9h8-1/2m average.  This morning Till's overflow lasted 36 minutes.  This afternoon Till started the major eruption just 15 minutes after overflow started.  This afternoon's interval was the longest I have recorded this season--9h15m.

 

While I was waiting for Till this afternoon, a herd of 12 adult and yearling bison plus 5 baby orange calves came across the hills to the east of Till's runoff channel, meandered safely across the runoff channel and moved across the road to the meadow to graze.  Naturally, traffic began to back up and I was afraid I might not be able to get out of the 

 

I noticed pink elephant heads in bloom today along the road from White Dome to Pink Cone.  As I was going garbage pickup, I collected my first hubcap of the season.  I offered it to Jere B. to take back to the RV Park where he and Scott have their trailers parked this summer, but he politely declined.  Since Bronco is working at Canyon, I guess I'll have to take it back for a decoration for the trailer where MaryBeth and I spend the summer.

 

Lynn Stephens

 


 
 


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