El Calafate, Southern Patagonia, Argentina - 22-23 March

* great pics coming soon! *


Perito Moreno Glaciar, Argentina

This is the most active glaciar in the World. It is one of only 3 Patagonian glaciars which is not retreating. Its about 5km wide with an average height of 60 metres above the surface of the water with a total ice depth of 170 metres. And at its deepest it is 700 metres! Apparently it ruptures all the time because it acts like a plug, or a blockage, between two lakes which causes enormous pressure build-up. But enough of the statistics!

We saw a few chunks falling off but some people see loads more. We got a boat so we could get more up close and personal with the glaciar on the North Face. At one end of it there is a naturally formed arch which looks like the mouth of a tunnel. It is really cool. The water around it has small iceburgs bobbing in it which was really cool. The ice wall of the glaciar looms up all blue & white and artctic-looking with jagged peaks all over the surface. They look really sharp and nasty.. and I wondered how you could ever walk over them…

I think other parts of the glaciar are smoother. YOu can do ice treks where you walk with crampons over the surface of the glaciar which is pretty amazing. We wanted to do that but the group was all booked up.

Instead we spent the half day looking at it from the boat and the viewing platforms around the other side of the glaciar. It was amazing. I want to find out more about how it got there, why it stays there, why it doesnt just melt away (it wasn't particularly cold there), and why the entire lake isnt all frozen etc etc…. I think then I will apréciate it even more.

Great day, great to see a glaciar, but (without wanting to compare), as far as natural wonders go, the Iguazu Falls wins hands down..!

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