Glaciar San Rafael, Patagonia Chilena

A day trip to the largest glacier in the Chilean northern ice field was arranged with Destino Patagonia in Puerto Tranquilo, on the shore of General Carrera Lake in the Aysén Region of central Patagonia. A vehicle took several of us tourists to Bahía Exploradora to begin the expedition. We were 13 tourists, the captain, and guide on a fast moving covered boat which traveled through the fjords to arrive at the Laguna San Rafael, where the glacier empties.

There are hundreds of icebergs which calve off this rapidly melting glacier.

And here is the glacier. It covers 293 square miles (760 km2) and is said to be moving at the rate of 55 feet (17 m) per day. According to a BBC news report, "In recent years, the glaciers of the Northern Patagonian Icecap have been melting rapidly as a result of global warming, and the San Rafael Glacier has mirrored this retreat."

The captain grabs some blocks of ice near the glacier for the ancient Chilean custom of serving whiskey and millenary ice to the tourists. He chose a block that had a natural depression where the whiskey could be poured and drunk. 

A fellow tourist demonstrates the technique while our guide pours.

The difficulty was getting the whiskey in the mouth while the ice was melting in the hands. 

Bottoms up!

The return trip through the fjords

There are waterfalls everywhere, rushing down steep mountains as we drive back to town.