Whaling

Whale hunters in NorthWest Alaska utilize a number of specialized techniques to accomplish the (quite literally) enormous task. The hunters work in large crews positioned strategically to attack whales when they surface. During the whaling season (April-May) these crews traditionally are on a 24-hour watch for whale surfacings. Each crew consists of a harpooner and six paddlers. When a whale surfaces in close proximity to a hunting crew, the crew goes into pursuit of the whale, with the intent of harpooning it.

A harpoon is essentially a spear with a strong line attatched to the end. In this case, the harpoon is attatched to a series of drag floats, which prevents prey from diving below a certain depth. This allows a crew to pursue the prey (in this case a whale) and lance it to death. The focus is then shifted to hauling the enormous beast to the shore, where it is butchered and rationed out.

Typically the Eskimo hunt bowhead whale, a species of baleen whale that reaches 60 feet in length and weighs about 60 tons. The high whaling season is between April and May.