One rainy day we decided to see Perito Moreno
Glacier. It was difficult to get to it, because of heavy rain a day earlier.
We could not take bus as we planned thus we decided to take a boat. It was
still raining when we approached the glacier, netherless it did not stop
us from hiking on slopes surrounding the glacier.
Perito Moreno Glacier,
in the southern area of the Los Glaciares National Park, is the most important
and most easily reached glacier. This is an imposing ice river, 3 km in
width and 60 m in height, that descends slowly from the Hielo Continental
Patagonico (Patagonian Continental Ice) to the shore of the lake, in the
Canal de los Tempanos (Icebergs Channel). Only 200 m above sea level, it
has turned into the biggest attraction of the region thanks to its spectacular
beauty, its glacial interest and its different behavior to the rest of the
glaciers of the world. It is a white giant that, moving noisily, offers
an incredible scenery. During its slow advance, it blocks the Canal de los
Tempanos, forming an ice dam that does not allow the drainage of the waters
of the South Arm to the central part of the lake. The pressure of the water
trying to recover its natural course increases from year to year until it
starts to pierce the front of the glacier, producing the famous "fracture".
This is a unique spectacle that repeats itself every 4 or more years where
tons of ice yield to the force of the water. This process lasts up to 36
hours; peace and silence return afterwards.
On our approach we found a few icebergs
If somebody was alert enough it was possible to catch ice
falling into lake
Intermittently some icebergs disintegrated, created lots
of noise and splash
We kept walking back and forth in order to find the best
vista point.
It was raining dogs and cats - after twenty minutes everybody
was totally wet.
