Hello there everyone! I hope you’re keeping well… Even in these – um – interesting times. But Beasties are always looking for silver linings, and all of us at Beastie Towers were cheered this week by the arrival of some pictures, presumed lost, from this little lady!
On her way to her new home last Autumn, June Beastie took something of a roundabout route. She was photographed in lots of interesting places along the way, too. Unfortunately, a freak iPhone accident meant that the pictures never made it back to us… Until now! Not everything was saved, but we do have her holiday snaps from what must be one of the most fascinating places on Earth – Yellowstone National Park!
So let’s join her there, shall we?
And where better to start than with one of the Park’s most famous attractions – Old Faithful! She seems to have caught it at just the right moment. Wow!
Then again, the reason this geyser is called Old Faithful is because it erupts frequently and regularly – every 90 minutes or so, to be precise.
As you probably already know, Old Faithful isn’t the only geological oddity here! Yellowstone is one of the most seismically active places in the US… And half of all the geysers and hydrothermal features in the world are found in the park. So I think we should definitely go and find some more!
Well, this looks much more peaceful. Where are we now?
Aha! Abyss Pool, on the shores of Yellowstone Lake. The still waters of this hot spring really do run deep, too… The bottom lies 16m (53 feet) below the surface. So don’t fall in, June Beastie!
Strangely, it wasn’t always so quiet here. For a short time in the late 80s and early 90s, Abyss Pool erupted regularly, jetting hot water as high as 30m (100 feet) up into the air. This was the first time in recorded history that the pool had erupted, and as of June 1992, it has completely stopped. Weird, eh?
And even the calm surface of Yellowstone Lake conceals more hot springs, geysers and fumaroles!
“Really?”
“Hmmmm, maybe that’s what these are?”
The park is also famous for its wildlife… Huge herds of bison (or buffalo) and elk roam the plains, and if you’re lucky, you might spot a moose, bear or lynx in the forest. Look who came to greet our intrepid Beastie voyager as she enjoyed the view!
Unfortunately, our knowledge of US flora and fauna has let us down here – can anyone identify the mystery guest?
Further along, June Beastie stopped to take a look at the Yellowstone River…
… And to take in a few more hot springs before the sun set.
Those colours are quite something, aren’t they?
But the darkening sky reminded June Beastie that she had other plans…
“Is that the time? I’d better be on my way!”
Join us next week for the final part of June Beastie’s incredible journey… And if you can’t wait that long, don’t panic! We’ll be back on Friday with another Beastie blast from the past. See you then!