[Geysers] Brief Geyser Report--May 27

[Lynn Stephens]

I intended to spend the day observing the Pink Cone Group but ended up alternating between watching series of Gemini and observing the Pink Cone Group.
 
My morning started with Great Fountain's overflow.  I left Great Fountain before it erupted to join Steve Robinson at Gemini for a series of Gemini.  Bill and Carol Beverly, Scott, and possibly a few other people were at Great Fountain for the start, which had a blue bubble.  Steve and I couldn't see it through the steam, but we could hear the cries of delight from the people there.  Overflow was 79 minutes.  Saturday I had an overflow of 75 minutes.  I think other overflows that have been reported have been in about the same range.  I also watched my second Great Fountain of the day from Gemini/Pebble.  
 
When I called to report Great Fountain overflow, Steve told me Pebble was overflowing.  Then he called to report Pebble had had a sudden drop, so I joined him for the series of 5 eruptions that started with an initial at 0632.  The next series, which consisted of 6 eruptions, started at 1044, an interval of 4h12m from initial to initial.  (Maureen ws there for the fifth and sixth eruptions of that series.  Pebble did not reach overflow before the start of this series.  Pebble also did not reach overflow before the third series of the day, which started at 14:28, an interval of 3h44m from initial to initial.  This series consisted of "only" four eruptions.  The last series of the day that I watched started at 1937, an interval of 4h55m from initial to initial.  Steve R. and Rocco joined me for this series.  Pebble did reach overflow prior to the start of the series.  So far it ppears when Pebble is overflowing, the "sudden" drop starts only 1-2 minutes before the Gemini initial eruption.  On the other hand, when Pebble has not yet reached overflow stage, the "sudden" drop starts about 5 minutes before the Gemini initial eruption.  Many of the intervals today between eruptions in a series were 4-5 minutes, although I also had an interval of 15 minutes.  So far I believe the longest interval in a series has always been the final interval.  But the longest interval in a particular series may be shorter the intervals in other series that were not the final interval in that particular series.
 
Gemini eruptions still continue to be quite strong, with more water ejected from the right (east) vent that I have seen in prior years.  Generally the left (west) vent runs out of water before the right (east) vent does.  Durations generally continue to be just a few seconds over a minute in length.
 
Rocco and I were at the start of today's eruption of Pink Cone.  The interval was 24h34m.  When I left the group at 0950, none of the road bubblers were active.  When I returned at 1145, all of them were active and the thumbhole was pushing water.  Thus, the road bubblers somewhere between 16 and 18 hours after the preceding eruption and were active for at least 6 hours prior to today's eruption.
 
I managed to watching the Pink Cone group for both eruptions of Labial that I recorded today.  The interval was 6h08m.  Saturday's interval recorded in geysertimes was 9h20m.
 
I've recorded several eruptions of Narcissus but haven't analyzed them yet.
 
Pink durations have varied from 4 1/2 to 8 minutes.  I don't have a good handle on intervals yet.
 
Box and Bead  don't appear to exhibit any change in behavior from prior years.  
 
I have seen no activity from Dilemma other than faint wisps of steam early in the morning or late in the afternoon.
 
On my final swing through Firehole Lake Drive today at 1806 Lemon Spring was down about 2 feet and muddy.  This is the first time this season I have seen it not clear blue and in overflow.
 
We had another wrong way driver this evening who wanted to turn around and White Dome to drive back toward Great Fountain.
 
The sandhills flew by overhead just a minute before Pink Cone erupted.  There were mountain bluebirds decorating several of the dead snags in the White Dome and Pink Cone areas.  
 
Driving out to West Yellowstone this evening took much longer than usual because another herd of bison was moving toward Madison Junction.
 
Visitor question of the day to me as I was watching an eruption of Gemini, "I guess that's blowin' off steam, huh?"  I just replied, "Yes."
 
Lynn Stephens
 
 
 
 
 		 	   		  
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