Pequod’s Voyage Plan Through the Strait
With a favorable wind, the Pequod approaches the Straits of Sunda, with Ahab planning to sail through into the Java Sea, then cruise north past the Philippine Islands to reach Japan in time for the peak whaling season; this route will let the Pequod cover nearly all known sperm whale cruising grounds before heading to the Pacific, where Ahab plans to hunt Moby Dick during the season the whale is most likely to be in the area.
Whaling Ship Self-Sufficiency
Unlike merchant ships that carry foreign cargo for foreign ports and must stop for supplies, the self-sufficient whaling ship carries only its crew, weapons, and provisions, including years of stored fresh Nantucket water, allowing it to sail for years without touching land or interacting with anyone other than fellow seafarers.
Sighting of the Large Sperm Whale Herd
As the Pequod nears the Straits of Sunda, no whales are spotted at first, but the crew soon sights a vast semicircular herd of sperm whales stretching across half the horizon, their spouts rising continuously in the midday air; widespread overhunting has driven sperm whales to travel in large, dense herds rather than the small, detached groups they once formed, meaning crews may sail for weeks without seeing a whale before encountering a herd of thousands.
Sperm Whale Spout Characteristics
The spout of the sperm whale is a single forward-slanting, thick curled bush of white mist that rises and falls to leeward, distinct from the straight, perpendicular twin-jet spout of the right whale that splits into two drooping branches at the top; from the Pequod’s deck, the mass of whale spouts looks like the chimneys of a dense city seen from a hill.
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