Moby Dick; Or, The Whale

Millennia-Long Whale Spout Mystery

For over six thousand years, whales have been spouting and “sprinkling the gardens of the deep,” yet despite thousands of hunters observing the fountain of the whale at close range, the fundamental question of whether these spoutings are water or vapor remains unresolved as of December 1851. The author calls this a noteworthy paradox.

Whale Respiratory Anatomy and Surfacing Necessity

Unlike fish that breathe dissolved air through their gills and can live indefinitely underwater, whales possess lungs like humans and must inhale disengaged air from the open atmosphere, requiring periodic visits to the surface. The sperm whale cannot breathe through its mouth, which lies buried at least eight feet beneath the surface, and its windpipe has no connection to its mouth. The whale breathes exclusively through its spiracle on top of the head.

Whale Extended Breath-Holding Capacity

While humans must breathe every two or three heartbeats, sperm whales breathe only about one-seventh of their time. Whales possess a complex labyrinth of vermicelli-like vessels between their ribs and along the spine that store oxygenated blood when at the surface, allowing them to remain submerged for an hour or more at depths of a thousand fathoms without drawing a single breath. This functions like a camel’s stored water supply for desert crossing.

Sperm Whale Consistent Spouting Patterns

When unmolested, sperm whales surface for exactly uniform periods and complete exactly the same number of breaths each time—say, seventy breaths over eleven minutes. If disturbed before finishing their quota, the whale will dodge back up to complete the full number of breaths before finally descending for good. This methodical behavior reveals the whale is systematically replenishing its air reservoir before deep dives, and this necessity to surface exposes the whale to all the fatal hazards of the chase.