No silly, I’d never name a son “Homer.” I named my daughter that since she’s so beautiful you simply Odyssey her.
We’ll be travelling extensively. I’ll email each of you beforehand to see if’n maybe we can get paths to cross.
Yeah fifty-six, we probably do and I’d enjoy trying to find out. Thanks for starting this and for the updates since, as mentioned, y’all are our best resource.
Well, you can hardly blame that on the volcano. It’s clearly the government schools at fault.
ALASKA VOLCANO OBSERVATORY
INFORMATION RELEASE
Wednesday, January 18, 2006 5:55 PM AKST (255 UTC)
AUGUSTINE VOLCANO (CAVW#1103-01-)
59.3633°N 153.4333°W, Summit Elevation 4134 ft (1260 m)
Current Level of Concern Color Code: ORANGE
Earthquake activity at Augustine Volcano has remained at lower levels throughout the day but the level of seismic activity is still above background. Based on the characteristics of previous eruptions, it is likely, but not certain, that more explosive eruptions will occur. These events are likely to be similar to those of January 13, 14, and 17 and it is possible for them to occur with little or no warning. AVO is monitoring the situation closely and the observatory is staffed 24/7.
Observations made on a flight during the afternoon of January 18 indicated that that the summit was steaming vigorously, so much so that it was not possible to determine if a new dome had been emplaced. Evidence of explosive ejection of volcanic bombs producing large truck sized circular craters was observed on the northwest flank. Block and ash flow deposits with car-sized blocks produced by dome collapse covered parts of the southeast flank and dilute ash cloud surge deposits were observed on the northwest flank. A white steam plume was observed rising to about 8500 ft (2600 m) before it trailed off as a bluish haze to the east. Little to no ash appeared to be present in the plume.
Just another update.
All seems to be well ATM. Still no particualry great Photo Opps. I did get some great sunset photos breaking through an ash plume quiote nice. I will post them later.
Latest Observations: Updated Hourly
2006-01-19 11:55:32
Seismicity remains relatively quiet but above background levels.
Observers in Homer have reported a very fine ash falling with snow.
It’s baaaaaaa-aaaaak. Three eruptions in the last 12 hours, with ash headed toward Kodiak (hunker down, kaiwik).
Thanks for the heads up Chefguy, the kaiwik clan has been hunkered since the ash warning last night. Which came after a cold, snowy, windy day which was forecast to be a cold, sunny, windy day. The temp here is now up to +12F with a windchill of -20F, sunny and breezy. I have been fighting my water since yesterday, it’s running in everything but the bathroom sink, where it is just sort of spitting. Which makes it difficult to rinse the sink after teeth brushing, which is one of my most intense OCD’s!!! At least I had the sense to get #1 fuel, so my furnace is running, a couple of my friend’s have had their diesel gel up on them.
The old man called from the Bering Sea yesterday, sunny and warm (for that area) with calm seas, so that’s one worry off my mind. The 3 week cod season is lasting far longer than 3 weeks, so few boats are fishing that it’s taking longer to catch the quota, which is good money wise, but not so good if I want to see him before November!
Okay, back to watching the hourly observations on Augustine!
(Yeah, I get chatty when I am nervous!)
Well, the sky has gone grey, and I just checked the snow on my deck…we have ash falling.
Holy crap! It’s really taking off: constant eruptions since yesterday. The seismograph has gone bugshit.
Yeah, I have been checking hourly, the ash warning has been extended again, until 2:00 pm AST.
I have been hitting my inhaler, and my eyes are gritty. As soon as it gets a little lighter I will go look at the snow again, I’ll let you know if there is any more significant ash showing.
Where is fifty-six?
I am here and well. The ash looks like it will miss us in Homer for the time being.
kaiwik, I really hope you and your mates on the island fair well and stay safe. This thing is really blowing right now. and as far as I can tell you may be getting ashfall for some time.
I have an additional 5 family memebers here for an extended stay, one is a one month old. I am also expecting a child Feb. 6th maby this thing will be done by then. I would hate to have to worry about potecting a newborn from ash.
Have you all looked at the Seismograph ? I am sure the Alaskan folks have.
Wow, big blast about an hour ago. Looks like the activity is still fairly constant.
That blast was huge.
The volcano is obscured with low lying clouds, but that ash plume was visable even from town. It pancaked out after about a half-hour or so maby even less.
It has been dissapointing. You would think that after several weeks of high level vocanic activity that we would have at least several great shots and views of the volcano. Well that has not been the case. There have been a couple but mainly early the first day.
I think that we are at over 24 hrs of continious volcanic activity. WOW!
Stay safe all.
kaiwik
Please let us know how you are doing.
I am worried about you. I dont know hopw much ash is falling in your area but you all have been under ashfall asvisery for over 24 hrs now. And I know you have been getting some.
Stay safe…
Thanks for the shout, we are fine. We are definitely getting ash fall, but as it is simultaneously snowing, it’s a bit difficult to tell how much. My throat and eyes are gritty, I have a headache, and have been using my inhaler more frequently than I care to (although well within the dr.'s directions) as my chest is tight. I do have a window open for the cats, but if the ash fall becomes heavier I will have to close it.
I have been watching the hourly updates at the Alaska Volcano Observatory site, boy oh boy things have been shaking over there! This is as exciting* as waiting on Mount St. Helens was back in 1980. Having lived through that, I feel that I am prepared for the worst. Plenty of bottled water, canned/boxed staples (in case the electricity goes out) plenty of pet food for the herd, the oh-so-useful rolls of duct tape in case I need to seal up the house. It would be nice if my husband was home, but he’s not.
Well, the kids just burst through the door, so I have to get back into mama-kaiwik mode. I’ll check back in after supper, sooner if anything ash-y happens.
*exciting - the most recent issue of Alaska magazine’s Real Alaskan quote is "Real Alaskans call a near-death outdoor experience “an adventure.” I heartily concurr, and will add that a Real Alaskan doesn’t need to be physically outside to have such an experience. One of these days I will submit my most exciting bear “adventure” which occured while I was inside the house!
A close friend of mine flew up to Anchorage tonight. He had to reschedual as the afternoon flight was cancelled due to both the ash and our whiteout. He took the last ERA flight, and they had to do some wandering in order to get past the ash, a little over an hour late, but he made it alright.
Our ash fall alert has been cancelled, it looks like the wind is switching and now the ash is heading toward the Cook Inlet/Anchorage area. Let us know Chefguy if you get any. Here it is mixed in with the snow, and the ash makes the roads even more slick, so be careful when you are out in that crazy Anchorage traffic!
What were the actual manifestations of the blast? I presume you felt shaking. Did you hear it too?
I still haven’t heard anything on the news about this. It’s either an elaborate hoax by neglected Alaskans seeking attention, or the people in charge of the news are just too busy with other earth-shattering events. 
I’ve started sending e-mails to NPR and local news outlets. This is getting ridiculous.
Has this been reported on TV or radio anywhere in the Lower 48?
There’s a little out there but it ain’t on top.
Some links from the Outside world:
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/11102221/
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/30/AR2006013001064.html
http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/science/01/30/alaska.volcano.ap/
Plus four more pages of links:
Also, we haven’t felt any earthquakes here on the island, but there is ash in the snow. On the local news last night there was a man who had been stuck in Anchorage for three days, trying to get to Kodiak. Era Aviation cancelled at least 21 flights over the weekend, among other things this has ground our USPS to a stop. I haven’t received anything but local mail since last week.
So are one of you going to change your user name to Baked Alaska?