Oliver Leavitt S Umiaq Waits on the Ice While Another Whaling Crew Paddles in Search Of

Boat Bow

Oliver Leavitt’s umiaq waits on the ice while another whaling crew paddles in search of a whale. The harpoon carries two weapons. The tip is a brass blade that toggles within a wound and is attached to a buoy. The point back from the tip is the darting gun, which shoots a projectile similar to a pipe bomb into the whale to hasten its death.

BoatSun

Midnight off Barrow, May 6, 2002. The umiaq waits at the ice edge to be launched quickly if a whale is sighted.

Buoy Hunter

Richard Glenn of Savik Crew prepares his weapons at the ice edge north of Barrow. When the water is too rough for their small boats, crews will sometimes keep a harpoon ready in case a whale surfaces nearby.

Camp Lookout

Oliver Leavitt, in the foreground, watches with other crew members for whales and deteriorating ice conditions.

Camp Overall

The camp of Oliver Leavitt Crew, May 2002. Crew members taking turns sleeping in the canvas wall tent must wear parkas, snowpants and boots to be ready for a quick escape or to pursue a whale.

Gun Detail

Savik Crew’s harpoon, lines and buoy are ready for the approach of a whale.

Hunter Detail

Savik Crew’s harpooner prepares his weapon at dawn on the bow of the motorboat used for fall whaling. [I think this is Eben Ahmaogak, but I am waiting for confirmation of that]

Hunter Lookout

Richard Glenn of Savik Crew scans the horizon for signs of whales northwest of Point Barrow, May 2002.

Hunters

Members of Barrow whaling crews discuss hunting and ice stability while waiting for favorable conditions to whale.

On Boat

Roy Ahmaogak pilots Savik Crew’s fall whaling motorboat away from Barrow in search of whales.

Whale Lines

The double block and tackle system used by whalers—with one block and tackle pulling the other—requires stops to reset the rig periodically. During one of these periods men twist the lines to keep the 100,000-pound whale from sliding back into the ocean.

Whale Loose

The 54-foot, 11-inch whale landed by Ahmaogak Crew in May 2002 lies on the ice, ready for the hours of work to divide it up the people of Barrow.

Whale Pull

About 200 Iñupiat pulled together for six hours to haul the whale caught by Ahmaogak Crew out of the ocean northwest of Point Barrow.

Fall Roy Parks (additional photo; slug from web site; file name on disk was AAD016)

Roy Ahmaogak of Savik Crew scans the horizon for whales at dawn off Barrow in the fall of 2002.