Perito Moreno

The Perito Moreno Glacier in Argentina is famous because it is one of the few advancing glaciers left in the world, advancing about 6 feet every day, and because it is situated such that the glacier bisects the largest lake in Argentina. The smaller side of the lake, blocked by the glacier but also fed by its melting waters, rises faster than the larger one; it will eventually reach a level about 30 feet higher than its counterpart, at which point the built up pressure will exploit the weakest section of the glacier-- causing about 4 days of crashing ice, the size of buildings, while the people of the closest town camp out to witness the spectacle.

A typical day at the glacier is not quite so dramatic, but because the glacier is still advancing-- the temperature and humidity here work together to compress snow into glacial ice about five times faster than in Antarctica-- it is quite common to witness chuncks of ice falling with terrific 'booms' into the icy water below. It is a marvelous thing to watch, but it also makes you quite jumpy; camera ready, zoomed, focused, light levels checked, listening intently for the tell-tale cracking sounds in the ice, eyes scanning constantly, sweeping the ice face intently. And of course it all happens too fast. You see it start falling, unable to tear your attention away, a block of ice the size of car or bigger; now exploding into the water, sending a wave several feet tall cresting towards the boat.

And a few minutes later, its available at the bar, in a shot glass of Tennesee whisky.