Beluga Whale Moulting — Somerset Island Canada
The Somerset Island belugas — an estimated 20,000–25,000 white whales returning annually to the warm shallow bays of Prince Leopold Island and Cunningham Inlet in Nunavut — use the warm Arctic estuary waters of July and August to rub against the estuarine gravel and moult their yellow winter skin to white in one of the most extraordinary cetacean gatherings on Earth. The inlet's shallow water and the belugas' near-shore moulting behaviour allow kayak approaches in July to within metres of adults and calves, and the sound of 2,000 belugas in an enclosed inlet — their 'sea canary' chirping, whistling, and clicking audible from the shore — is one of the Arctic's most extraordinary acoustic experiences. The combination of the treeless Somerset Island tundra, the pack ice visible offshore, and the white-over-yellow bodies of moulting belugas in the clear green-brown estuary water creates the Arctic's most intimate large cetacean encounter.
About this spectacle
Every July and August, tens of thousands of beluga whales converge on the shallow estuarine waters of Cunningham Inlet on Somerset Island, Nunavut, to moult their yellowish winter skin back to brilliant white. Visitors witness an almost incomprehensible density of cetaceans — adults and calves rolling and rubbing against gravel shallows just metres from shore. The belugas' famous vocalizations — chirps, whistles, and clicks — carry clearly across the tundra and through kayak hulls, creating a soundscape unlike anything else in the Arctic. The setting amplifies the spectacle: a flat, treeless tundra landscape under the midnight sun, pack ice visible on the horizon, and the clear green-brown inlet water revealing the two-toned bodies of moulting whales below the surface. Kayak approaches can bring paddlers within metres of groups of whales, offering an intimacy rare with any large cetacean species. The combination of sheer animal numbers, unique moulting behaviour, extraordinary acoustics, and stark Arctic scenery makes this one of the most singular wildlife encounters on the planet.
When to go
Jul — Aug
Getting there
Nearest airport: YRB. Nearest city: Resolute.
Booking options
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