Nathan VanderKlippe
Northern News Services

Cape Dorset (Nov 12/01) - Hunters in Cape Dorset killed and dressed about 30 beluga whales over the past two weeks.

"We're happy now," said Naudla Oshoweetok, a hunter and the hamlet's accounts payable administrator. "We waited and waited. And then we got tired of waiting, but then a couple of weeks ago they start to appear."

Dorset whalers have harvested 30 belugas so far this season. - NNSL file photo

In years past, belugas swimming south to winter in warmer waters tended to appear near the south Baffin community in late September or early October. However, that date has been creeping later in recent years, due in part to delayed freeze-ups.

Belugas also pass by in spring, but the catch is smaller then, as boats must be launched from the floe edge.

Oshoweetok said some of the whales were caught near the hamlet, others about 10 kilometres to the northwest.

They have been as heavy as 450 kilograms.

At least two of the whales brought to shore were caught by first-time beluga-hunters.

Brothers Taq and Pitseolak Toonoo killed their first whales Nov. 7.

"We saw the beluga in shallow waters, went over there and my oldest son (Taq) harpooned it," said their father, Timoon Toonoo. "He caught one, then after that we went to another place about four miles northeast. We saw two more belugas and my 15-year-old harpooned one in that area."

Toonoo said he killed his first beluga at age 25.

"My two sons felt pretty good," he said. He had intended to teach his oldest how to harvest a beluga.

"I was explaining everything to my older son -- to watch out for the rope and make sure there's no tangle up on your arm," said Toonoo. "Otherwise, you'll go with it or you'll get pulled out or something."

Both of the family's whales were killed without rifles. Instead, they were stuck with a harpoon attached to a float, a technique that tires out the animal until it can be killed.

"This is very good news for everyone here in the community, because this is the traditional way to get the beluga," said the hamlet's senior administrator, Art Stewart.

Belugas are also caught using nets. According to Oshoweetok, about half are harvested that way.