What People Find on the Shore
While walking along a beach, you might spot objects that don’t look like pebbles, shells, or seaweed. These mysterious lumps may be:
Covered in a soft white layer that resembles cotton wool
Hard or waxy to the touch
Containing trapped debris inside
Accompanied by a strong odor often described as “a cross between squid and farmyard manure”
Because of their powerful smell, dogs often discover them first.
The Big Hope: Ambergris (“Whale Vomit”)
Some beachcombers dream of finding ambergris, sometimes nicknamed “whale vomit” and famously called “floating gold.”
It has historically been prized by royalty and remains valuable to artisan perfumers.
A reported find in the UK was estimated at £50,000 (US$71,000) for a 1.57 kg lump.
The question is: What exactly is ambergris, and why does it still command such high prices?
Why Ambergris Is So Valuable
The high value comes from its rare biological origin and a key compound: ambrein.
Only sperm whales produce the compound responsible for ambergris’ unique appeal: ambrein.
Sperm whales mainly eat squid, but squid beaks cannot be digested.
To prevent injury when passing these sharp beaks, whales coat them with ambrein, essentially gluing the beaks together into a safer mass.
How Ambergris Forms and “Ages” in the Ocean
Ambergris begins as a mixture of:
Squid beaks
Ambrein
Another digestive byproduct: epicoprostanol
It is usually expelled as faecal matter (and sometimes through vomiting, which explains the nickname). After that:
The lump floats in the sea.
It gradually changes from a dark, foul-smelling mass into a paler, more waxy material.
Over time, it becomes less like “waste” and more like a unique ocean-aged substance.
What Changes During Ageing
As it drifts for long periods, ambergris tends to:
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