+1 (877) 585-1235 Request a Quote
Passengers hiking in Antarctic Landscape

Polar Expeditions

antarctic expeditions

arctic Expeditions

Narwhals of the High Arctic: Setting the Record Straight on the Ocean’s Most Elusive Whale 

Polar Regions

antarctic regions

arctic regions

Narwhals of the High Arctic: Setting the Record Straight on the Ocean’s Most Elusive Whale 

Our Expedition Ships

Expedition ships

Charters

Guests in yellow parkas carefully watch an orca spyhopping as it tries to get better look at a seal resting on an ice flow.

About Us

More on quark expeditions

Narwhals of the High Arctic: Setting the Record Straight on the Ocean’s Most Elusive Whale 

Resources for Travel Advisors

Resources

Offers

Narwhals of the High Arctic: Setting the Record Straight on the Ocean’s Most Elusive Whale 

Current Offers

Current offers

Loyalty & Groups

Passengers hiking through Antarctica

My Expedition

expeditions Resources

Request a Quote
Call Now to Book: +1 (877) 585-1235
Home
Blog
Arctic

Arctic

"Narwhals breach" by Glenn Williams - National Institute of Standards and Technology. Licensed under Public Domain via Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Narwhals_breach.jpg#/media/File:Narwhals_breach.jpg
4 mins read

Narwhals of the High Arctic: Setting the Record Straight on the Ocean's Most Elusive Whale 

Every August, as pack ice loosens its grip along Nunavut’s eastern coastline, open leads form between the floes and narwhals move into shallow bays to feed. The window is narrow. Within weeks, freeze-up begins again and the whales retreat to deeper water. It’s one of the shortest, most weather-dependent viewing opportunities in the Arctic, and it’s exactly the kind of moment Quark Expeditions builds its Canadian High Arctic itineraries around, timing voyages through Lancaster Sound and the Northwest Passage when narwhal activity typically peaks.  The Tusk Isn’t What Most People Think  Ask most travelers for narwhal facts and the tusk comes up first, usually with a myth attached. It is not a jousting weapon, and males rarely use it in combat. The tusk is an elongated left canine tooth that can grow to roughly 2 to 3 metres, spiraling counter-clockwise, and it is embedded with millions of nerve endings. Researchers, including teams affiliated with NOAA Fisheries, have documented tusks responding to changes in water salinity, suggesting a sensory role rather than a purely combative one. Some encounters do involve males crossing tusks at the surface, but marine biologists increasingly read this as a form of communication, not conflict.  Where Do Narwhals Live, and Why Sightings Stay Rare  Narwhals are among the most habitat-specific whales on Earth. They spend the bulk of the year in the icy waters of Baffin Bay and Davis Strait, diving to significant depths to feed on Greenland halibut and Arctic cod, then migrate into the fjords and inlets of the Canadian […]
Read Post
Narwhals of the High Arctic: Setting the Record Straight on the Ocean’s Most Elusive Whale 
6 mins read

High Arctic vs Low Arctic: What's the Difference? 

Read Post
Narwhals of the High Arctic: Setting the Record Straight on the Ocean’s Most Elusive Whale 
7 mins read

Greenlandic Food Culture: The Ingredients Behind Every Quark Expedition Meal 

Read Post
Narwhals of the High Arctic: Setting the Record Straight on the Ocean’s Most Elusive Whale 
7 mins read

Disko Bay, Greenland: Why This Stretch of Coast Is Called Iceberg Alley 

Read Post
Narwhals of the High Arctic: Setting the Record Straight on the Ocean’s Most Elusive Whale 
5 mins read

Arctic Foxes and Musk Oxen: Life on the Tundra's Edge 

Read Post
Narwhals of the High Arctic: Setting the Record Straight on the Ocean’s Most Elusive Whale 
9 mins read

Chasing The Eclipse: Behind the Scenes of an Epic Greenlandic Voyage

Read Post
Narwhals of the High Arctic: Setting the Record Straight on the Ocean’s Most Elusive Whale 
5 mins read

The Lilliehöök Glacier: A Frozen Giant Shaped by Millennia of Arctic Ice 

Read Post
Guests taking photos of Isbukta glacier. Photo by Acacia Johnson.
5 mins read

Isbukta: Glaciers, Icebergs and Kayaking Adventures in Southern Spitsbergen 

Read Post
Narwhals of the High Arctic: Setting the Record Straight on the Ocean’s Most Elusive Whale 
5 mins read

Iceland’s National Parks by Sea: Vatnajökull to Snæfellsnes Peninsula 

Read Post
Narwhals of the High Arctic: Setting the Record Straight on the Ocean’s Most Elusive Whale 
4 mins read

Cultural Encounters in the Faroes: Local Traditions, Food, and Island Communities 

Read Post
Narwhals of the High Arctic: Setting the Record Straight on the Ocean’s Most Elusive Whale 
5 mins read

Alkefjellet: The Steep Seabird Cliffs  

Read Post
Narwhals of the High Arctic: Setting the Record Straight on the Ocean’s Most Elusive Whale 
5 mins read

Fair Isle: The Ultimate Hidden Gem for Viking History and Seabird Lovers 

Read Post
Narwhals of the High Arctic: Setting the Record Straight on the Ocean’s Most Elusive Whale 
5 mins read

Walking in the Footsteps of the Norse: Sailing Ancient Viking Routes Today 

Read Post
Narwhals of the High Arctic: Setting the Record Straight on the Ocean’s Most Elusive Whale 
5 mins read

Jan Mayen: The Remote Volcanic Island Most Travelers Will Never Step Foot On 

Read Post
Narwhals of the High Arctic: Setting the Record Straight on the Ocean’s Most Elusive Whale 
4 mins read

The Lesser-Known Westfjords and Remote East Iceland: Hidden Gems on the Voyage 

Read Post
Narwhals of the High Arctic: Setting the Record Straight on the Ocean’s Most Elusive Whale 
5 mins read

Kayaking Among Icebergs: A Bucket List Experience in Greenland 

Read Post
Narwhals of the High Arctic: Setting the Record Straight on the Ocean’s Most Elusive Whale 
4 mins read

What It’s Like to Sail Across the North Atlantic to the Arctic 

Read Post
Narwhals of the High Arctic: Setting the Record Straight on the Ocean’s Most Elusive Whale 
4 mins read

Whales of the High Arctic: Species You’ll Encounter in Svalbard 

Read Post
Narwhals of the High Arctic: Setting the Record Straight on the Ocean’s Most Elusive Whale 
4 mins read

Polar Trips Filled with Active Off-ship Adventures  

Read Post
Narwhals of the High Arctic: Setting the Record Straight on the Ocean’s Most Elusive Whale 
4 mins read

Practicing Wellness on an Arctic Expedition  

Read Post
Narwhals of the High Arctic: Setting the Record Straight on the Ocean’s Most Elusive Whale 
4 mins read

Polar Bear Viewing Ethics and New Distance Rules in Svalbard 

Read Post
Narwhals of the High Arctic: Setting the Record Straight on the Ocean’s Most Elusive Whale 
4 mins read

The Power of Solitude and Self-Reflection in the Polar Regions 

Read Post
Narwhals of the High Arctic: Setting the Record Straight on the Ocean’s Most Elusive Whale 
4 mins read

Iceberg Photography Tips from Expedition Experts 

Read Post
Narwhals of the High Arctic: Setting the Record Straight on the Ocean’s Most Elusive Whale 
4 mins read

Bird Migration Stories: Barnacle Geese in Svalbard 

Read Post