Other types of chasing

[Dave Kaplow]

On a chase trip once when there was absolutely no chance of severe storms anywhere I reluctantly agreed to chase dust devils in Arizona. It turned out to be a lot more fun than you would think. I would definitely do it again if there was nothing better to chase.

I try to see auroras, of course, whenever the chance arises.

One thing I would really like to see is a big bioluminescent display, the kind caused by tropical marine plankton. The entire sea surface for as far as the eye can see has been known to light up, sometimes in moving patterns including rays, crescents, and expanding circles. That would definitely be worth chasing, I would think.

 

[Mike Peregrine]

One thing I would really like to see is a big bioluminescent display, the kind caused by tropical marine plankton. The entire sea surface for as far as the eye can see has been known to light up, sometimes in moving patterns including rays, crescents, and expanding circles. That would definitely be worth chasing, I would think.

I've heard about this ... a friend of mine told me that his family has a little island off the coast of Maine, and occasionally this bio-luminous plankton would cause the tide to glow. He said you could walk along the shore and look back and see your footprints glowing in the sand. And if you stuck your hand in the water (or if it came in contact with fish, like you mentioned), it would glow. That would be something to see - wonder if it is predictable at all?

 

[Heidi Farrar]

Plane spotting is something I've been pretty into over the last 10 years or so. Being this close to MEM, I was disappointed when Fedex canceled the A380 order. I always thought that would be the most-cool thing to see flying over my house, especially since I've seen the B-2 bomber low over my house several times already -- in my experience, the sound of those engines are the closest thing I know of to compare to "the roar" from an approaching tornadic storm. .... Continuing for a moment on the plane-spotting note, at one time, years ago, my husband and I were spending a good bit of time in airports, and at airport hotels, so I got to the point where I'd try to schedule our flights for when I knew the heavies were going to be there, and would always try to get a room with a view of the runway if at all possible. Had a pretty decent photo catalog of stuff on final approach to PHX, too.

My husband and I are birders, also, and we used to plan our summer vacation trips around which species we needed to pick up, so perhaps we could be called bird-chasers? (Okay, birders will probably do just fine.) We have over 550 species for the lower-48, which is nothing to sneeze at.

Oh yeah, and I've tried rainbow chasing... I've come pretty close to getting to the end a couple of times but the blue moons, pink hearts, red balloons and purple horseshoes falling from the sky can be a little freaky, so I really don't recommend it. GR3 should add those icons... seriously.

 

[George Kourounis]

I've chased that too.
At the Bioluminescent Bay on Vieques Island, Puerto Rico. It is the most bioluminescent place in the world. It was fantastic swimming in it with each wave of your hand creating psychedelic trails of blue/green light. I even saw the glowing outline of a sting ray swimming underneath my kayak. Awesome!!

If you ever get the chance... Go.

George Kourounis
www.stormchaser.ca

 

[Skip Talbot]

I saw a show that featured a dust devil chaser. He had more equipment than a lot of us on this board have, including some sort of LIDAR system, and vanity dust devil chaser plates. I thought to myself, man what a geek... but then I realized that's how the average person views us.

I did some inadvertant train spotting during one of my flying lessons a few weeks back. It was right during a very pretty sunset, and a BNSF freight train was going through a small town. It looked like a perfect model train set. I'm not into chasing trains at all and don't know what's prized, but it seemed like a good catch.

How about chasing the rare green flashes that occur at sunrise and sunset, and were popularized in the Pirates of the Caribbean movie? I read that they are caused by the way the light diffracts through a strong temperature inversion. Checking out the cap forecasts for this Thursday, you might want to keep your eyes on the horizon at sundown if you are still waiting for initiation on the dryline.

 

[Linda Kitchen]

I guess I'm a geek because I've always loved dust devils!! It must be from being born and living in Az all my life. When I was little I would do my best to run into the middle of them. Dust devils and the Wizard of Oz is what I think fueled my love of tornados. I would love to see a tidal wave someday! I saw one once in the northwest but it wasn't very large.

 

[Cstok]

I've heard about this ... a friend of mine told me that his family has a little island off the coast of Maine, and occasionally this bio-luminous plankton would cause the tide to glow. He said you could walk along the shore and look back and see your footprints glowing in the sand. And if you stuck your hand in the water (or if it came in contact with fish, like you mentioned), it would glow. That would be something to see - wonder if it is predictable at all?

I live here in S. Cal - born and raised, and have surfed most of my life. One of the most memorable experiences of my life was surfing during a red tide late evening into the night during a full moon. Red tide is when the water does take on a red tinge from the alal bloom which is those bio luminesent plankton.

As my friends and I surfed, as we hit the lip or did a big carve, you would see it glow, all as it was starting to get dark under a full mooon... I will never forget it.

Here is a pic from carlsbad, which is just south of me and what a wave looks like as it breaks during one of these events:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Red_tide_bioluminescence_at_midnight.jpg

Also after I have surfed during these events, if I throw my wet suit in the corner of the garage or shower or whatever.. .even if it is hours after I surfed, it gives off little sparks... similar to seeing a fire fly.

Mike the best time to see these tides is late winter... and this is just a guess from experience, because it seems like every time after a rain, and the water goes from being really cold, say mid upper 50s, then goes up a few points to about 58 - 60, you have a red tide bloom, and then you see the bio luminescence. Best time usally Feb - April from my experience, and yes just walking - kicking the sand cases little flecks to glow.

 

[Chris Sokol]

Trains, fires, my children (impossible to catch), lightning, and winter weather. I also love to photograph cityscapes and landscapes.

 

[Doug Mitchell]

Definitely want to watch a major volcanic eruption with a pyroclastic flow. I would rather see this than a hurricane.

 

[Brian Emfinger]

and
As funny and original as running pigs in a picture.

My profile pic isn't meant to be funny or original (although I suppose the definition of original would firmly place my profile pic into that category since I haven't seen another like it...although several people on other forums use it) but to signify my love for two things (outside of family) that I especially love - the Arkansas Razorbacks and Storm Chasing.

Are you one of those crazy Alabama fans? That would explain it!

(for other Alabama fans here dont take that personally... all of us have a crazy few)

 

[Dennis Sherrod]

Geeze, don't get so hog wild. If the subject of Bill Clinton and football gets you that fired up, I am sorry. I made a simple joke. And frankly, I don't care one way or the other about football. Chill out.

 

[Randy Denzer]

Chasing the illusive, well...

Well,
I really can't talk much about what I USED to chase because I am getting married tomorrow which has ended that type of chasing!

So I am limited to storms and fires from here on. At least the fires are a sure thing!! The lights go on and the tones drop when one is nearby! Then I get to run inside for a VERY personal view! I need to get a helmet cam...

I also Like videotaping Rainbows in slow motion. Especially the double arched off color ones!

 

[Chris Sokol]

Are you one of those crazy Alabama fans? That would explain it!

Oh no you didn't! I guess I need to break out the photo's I have of all of the Arkansas fans with the hogs-head hats on from my Million Dollar Band days...

 

[Marko Korosec]

I do lots of chasing besides storm chasing, especially lightning chasing, but also snow chasing and strong winds, fires, etc. I'd love to chase hurricanes and vulcanoes once.

As there are few calm days right now, we've been down in LA and had some aligator chasing today, that was just awesome experience! And of course girl's chasing in New Orleans's Bourbon street last night should not be forgotten

 

[Greg Campbell]

I'd drive a ways to see a volcano!

Scattered across the wester US, from eastern California to S. Utah, are many dozens of recently active (<1000 year old) cinder cone volcanoes. These volcanoes tend toward the basaltic end of the spectrum and generally produce modest, picturesque eruptions. Further, the low gas content makes them much less likely to kill us observers with a pyroclastic belch.

I'd like to think that one of these buggers will do something in my lifetime! While odds would seem to favor the volcano chaser, nothing has happened in the 1/4 century I've been waiting... Feh!