A bright morning for an exciting outing
48 miles (70-odd km) from El Calafate
is the Perito Moreno Glacier (named for 19th century pioneer and explorer, Francisco Moreno), located in Los Glaciares National Park. This is the first glimpse as you round a corner,running into Lago Argentina
Unsurprisingly, it's one of the most important tourist attractions in Argentinian Patagonia. As well as a windy but exhilerating boat-ride on Lago Argentina to get up close and personal (well, as close as you can given the perpetual risk of chunks calving off and creating a mini tsunami!)
there's a walkway along the southern flank / east-facing edge.
48 miles (70-odd km) from El Calafate
is the Perito Moreno Glacier (named for 19th century pioneer and explorer, Francisco Moreno), located in Los Glaciares National Park. This is the first glimpse as you round a corner,running into Lago Argentina
Unsurprisingly, it's one of the most important tourist attractions in Argentinian Patagonia. As well as a windy but exhilerating boat-ride on Lago Argentina to get up close and personal (well, as close as you can given the perpetual risk of chunks calving off and creating a mini tsunami!)
there's a walkway along the southern flank / east-facing edge.
from which you can see, to the far left, the crescent ice face along which our boat ran
It's hard to get your head around the stats: the 97 sq mi2 (250 km) ice formation is 19 miles (30km) long, making it the world's 3rd largest reserve of fresh water. Not only is it huge, something like 60m high, but it stretches back...
Only when you get close, or better still when you see one of the boats near the giant, do you get some perspective (see the equivalent of our boat? far left-hand side)
Only when you get close, or better still when you see one of the boats near the giant, do you get some perspective (see the equivalent of our boat? far left-hand side)
All of which is interesting but really it's the pinnacles and arrows of ice that count,
and the way that its blue eyes gleam back at you in the sunshine.
Frozen but very happy!
The glacier is unusual in that it's advancing, while most glaciers worldwide are retreating. The reason remains debated by 'glaciologists' but apparently it comes forward 2m each day! Certainly it creaks and groans enough to suggest movement, and you should hear the thunderclap when a berg calves
Back on dry land, the car park is under invasion
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