Yet another ship crosses paths with the Pequod. This time, it is the Rachel, which is captained by a man named Captain Gardiner, who implores Ahab’s help: one of his whaleboats has been lost at sea, and to make things worse, his twelve-year-old son is believed to be on board. Ahab, consumed by his desire to find Moby Dick and compelled forward by his increasingly erratic behaviors, callously declines to help Captain Gardiner.

Ahab has started to dedicate all his time to the deck and avoids being around Pip, worried that spending time with Pip might weaken his resolve and cause him to lose focus on his mission. On the deck, Ahab is often accompanied by Fedallah, who remains quiet and keeps a constant watchful eye on the mentally declining captain.

Concerned that his crew might not alert them if they spot the white whale, Ahab sets up a basket to lift himself high above the deck and assigns Starbuck to keep an eye on the ropes that support the basket. Shortly after Ahab is lifted up, a wild black sea hawk swoops down and steals his hat.

The Pequod comes across the Delight, a ship that has recently suffered the loss of five crew members to Moby Dick. As the Delight's captain prepares to perform a burial at sea for one of the deceased men, Ahab attempts to persuade his crew to quickly move away before the body is released into the water. However, his efforts are in vain, and the burial proceeds as planned.

A beautiful and clear day temporarily lifts the "cantankerous thing" lingering in Ahab's soul As he leans over the ship's side, he sheds a tear into the water. The day sparks something in Ahab, and he regretfully confides in Starbuck that he has spent forty years at sea, leaving behind a wife and son, whom he has not seen since he embarked on his first whaling voyage. 

In this sentimental moment, Ahab advises Starbuck to remain on board and save himself when he goes after Moby Dick. Worried by his captain’s strange confessions and foreboding demeanor, Starbuck pleads with Ahab to change course but to no avail.