Coral Harbour was abuzz with life last week after a group of five hunters harvested a 27-foot bowhead whale.

SA国际影视传媒淚t was a dream come true,SA国际影视传媒� said Aaron Emiktowt, who led the hunt.

Emiktowt and his crew of Greg Ningeocheak, Darcy Nakoolak, Joe Saviakjuk and Spencer Saviakjuk had been working throughout the spring to take down one of the giant creatures.

Emiktowt said it took a total of nine trips to Ruin Point, a traditional gathering area where bowheads are usually found in the spring, before they were finally able to find the perfect conditions for taking one down.

SA国际影视传媒淓very time we went out, we would see these whales and we would try and hunt one of them. It was a learning experience,SA国际影视传媒� said Emiktowt.

SA国际影视传媒淭here was one time when were trying to hunt it on a little row boat, and there was another time when the whale came out on the flow edge but once we got close it would hear our footsteps and then would just dive.SA国际影视传媒�

After eight unsuccessful scouting trips and with goose hunting season just around the corner, the crew decided to take a break to spend time on the land with their families. However, by the end of June the ice was cracking closer to the sea shore, which presented them with an opportunity.

SA国际影视传媒淲e were assuming that whale would get into the shallow part of the island and sure enough it happened,SA国际影视传媒� said Emiktowt.

It took the men two hours to get out to Ruin Point. Once there, Emiktowt teamed up with Ningeocheak in one 18-foot aluminum boat while the other three men got into another.

It didn't take long for them to spot the whale. When they got close enough, Ningeocheak launched a harpoon deep into its skin on his first attempt.

SA国际影视传媒淚 asked him to snug the buoy out in front of the bow so we could get towed around and maybe tire the whale out sooner. Darcy was the other driver on the other boat, so I told him to try and get close to get another harpoon in. As they approached the whale SA国际影视传媒� it was a real active one SA国际影视传媒� it turned on them and started attacking the boat instead. In the process he threw the harpoon and hit it and the whale kind of submerged on the boat,SA国际影视传媒� explained Emiktowt. SA国际影视传媒淒arcy grabbed the throttle and got away just in time. They were lucky they didn't get flipped over.SA国际影视传媒�

Even with two harpoons, the whale continued to put up a fight. Although he had a grenade propelled harpoon at his disposal, Emiktowt said it was too unwieldy to use, so he ordered the men to start firing on the bowhead with their rifles. After hitting the whale with a few rounds of heavy ammunition, it slowed down a little bit.

SA国际影视传媒淥ne time when we got on its side, the whale came out of the water. It showed its head and its neck, and I took a shot where the neck meets the skull and it got knocked out.SA国际影视传媒�

After 20 minutes of fighting it seemed like the hunt was finally over. But as the men grabbed the ropes to pull the animal back to their sleds, the whale moved.

SA国际影视传媒淚 asked Greg to reverse the boat and I grabbed my spear and I speared it behind the flipper,SA国际影视传媒� said Emiktowt. SA国际影视传媒淚t went in and got the heart and then it just started floating.SA国际影视传媒�

Once they finally pulled the whale to shore, the men made a post on Facebook to notify the community to come out and help butcher it. A few hours later there were 50 people cutting up the whale and collecting the meat, blubber and muktuk, all of which was shared with the community.

SA国际影视传媒淎ll that was left was the skull. We just left it on the shore for the shrimp to eat.SA国际影视传媒�