| Comments: | In the 50 minutes before the eruption there was a very strong and heavy {in discharge} minor play on the average very 3 to 4 minutes. Each sequence of the minor play would begin with a loud roar from the two fumarole vents jetting steam mixed with water followed immediately by usually 2 to 4 heavy surges of water from the main vent extending out 30 to 40 feet and then in most cases several minor splashes & bursts of water in a much finer spray. At the beginning of the heavy surges – sometimes a few seconds before but more often 5-10 second after – there would be brief bursts of water from the middle vent reaching up to 20-25 feet and lasting as long as about 15 seconds. For a short time after each sequence of minor play all of the vents including the fumarole vents would become completely quiet. Never before in the past 3½ years has Ledge been observed to have such strong and massive bursts of minor play occurring so often over so long of a period before the eruption. Most of the heavy surges each put out an estimated 1-200 gallons of water. In the past any one of the sequences of minor play would have been of adequate size to have probably started the full eruption. Again as before the southeast vent filled and participated with fountain-type eruption but did not overflow into Jetsam Pool. Its water was a very intensely opalescent bright blue. The two fumarole vents briefly turned into loud high-pitched dry steam activity as they apparently did on Monday the 26th at a time 4 minutes into the eruption. At 4½ minutes after play began the Southeast Vent drained and a short time {<2 min} later began to have occasional bursts 5-20 feet. Observation terminated 6:40 pm |