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Historic site · Pangnirtung, Nunavut
Kekerten
An island in the Cumberland Strait with remains of a 19th-century whaling station, such as blubber boilers and storehouse foundations, reached by boat from Pangnirtung.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
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About Kekerten
Kekerten Island lies in the Cumberland Sound, about 50 km from Pangnirtung. In the 19th century, Scottish and American whalers established a station there to hunt bowhead whales; the blubber was rendered into oil. Inuit families worked with the whalers and lived around the station.
Kekerten Territorial Park preserves the remains of the station: large iron cauldrons, foundations of storehouses and houses, graves and whale bones. A trail with interpretive panels passes through the ruins and explains life at the station and the relationship between the Inuit and the whalers.
The boat trip through the fjord and the sound goes past glaciers and mountains, and sometimes encounters seals and whales.
Before you go
Practical information
Cidade Turismo reviews its information regularly, but something may have changed. Check with the place before planning your trip.
How much time to set aside
One day, by boat.
Best time
From July to August, when the sea is free of ice.
How to get there
By boat from Pangnirtung with a local guide, in a few hours of travel.
Tip
Arrange the trip at the Pangnirtung visitor centre, which can refer you to guides with boats.
Official website
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Kekerten
What is on Kekerten Island?
Remains of a 19th-century whaling station, such as cauldrons and foundations.
How do you get to Kekerten?
By boat with a guide from Pangnirtung.
Who used the Kekerten station?
Scottish and American whalers, with Inuit families who worked with them.