Over half the time is spent waiting for better weather. At times like this, coffee and a smoke are welcome pastimes. When the weather finally improves, they keep a lookout all day and all night. Two men in the crow's nest and one at the helm on the wheelhouse roof. The Arctic summer night is as bright as day.
Seabirds can provide a clue as to where the plankton, fish and whales are to be found.
Otherwise, the course is staked out on the basis of previous experience. Experience that reveals where the minke whale goes at different times of the year, and where one can find calm seas under conditions of shifting winds. The sound waves from the sonar frighten the whales. Binoculars only provide a view of a limited section of the sea surface. The naked eye is the only tool good enough.