Plying About: May 20, 1811

After losing the whale, the Resolution became trapped in a small opeing in the ice, and though there was open water nearby, it was too dangerous to attempt to reach it:

Reduced the sails to two close reefed Top sails and Fore Stay sail under which we kept our situations laying too and wearing occasionally[.] Several ships in sight some near us[.] One of them appears to be fished (This is known from the custom of suspending the Spacktackle Blocks when a Ship is clean, which are let down on the Capture of a Whale[.]

Scoresby kept the Resolution moving to keep the water clear.