Admiralty Inlet

22-8-24

Admiralty Inlet

Named by Parry in 1818 in honor of his friends in high places, not considering that the place might already have a name. Yet, the name stuck, and more than two hundred years after Parry and his crew sailed their furthest west, we sail out of Admiralty Inlet.

We took a chance yesterday, heading out into the rain, descending the big fjord-like system, hunting a ghost. Prospects were bleak and wet. The animal we were after is much like the elusive snow leopard. Many stories are told about them, but few people ever see one. The Norse translation is “corpse whale,” as they believed these whales were their deceased ancestors. Today, they are much valued for their tusks. Only the male Narwhal typically grows one. It is a tooth that spirals left and has inspired all sorts of myths. For a long time, it was believed that the world was home to a rare breed of horse—the unicorn. It turned out to be maybe even more spectacular: a whale that can dive up to 300 meters, has skin that can move to make it more streamlined, five sets of stomachs, and two very small lungs. It breathes long and slow, storing up to 30 percent of its oxygen in its muscles, enabling long and deep dives. It has two small eyes and relies on its sonar equipment. It is one of the world’s wonders, like all creatures.

Just after dinner, I went to turn off the generator, and there they were. Led by a Bowhead Whale and a calf, hundreds came swimming by between us and the ship. Never have I seen anything like it—a great migration of the Narwhal. The sounds came out of the mist, adding to the already cult-like status of this animal. Following a route probably used for centuries, we were part of it. As spectators, but still part of it.

Early start this morning to get out of the Inlet. We did not even get close to the end but have a hundred or so miles to go before we are out. It is time to start thinking of our retreat from the high Arctic. Baffin Bay awaits us on our track south to Nuuk.

All is well,

Gijs