Hi Al. Didn't see your question about length of the spike until now - sorry about that. I suppose you have a young plant. I think mine had flowered once before I bought it. If I remember correctly, I think the fisrt spike was rather short with not so many flowers. The last spike had 9 or more flowers.. sorry can't remember exact. There is also a little keiki on it's way. I grow mine in sphagnum and it seems to like it.
Milda