We were all sad when the young humpback whale recently rescued by a group of divers near Llandudno didn’t make after all, but another whale tale seems to have had a happier ending earlier this week.
Local heros from the National Sea Rescue Institute rescued a baby pygmy sperm whale which got stuck on the wrong side of a sandbank at Stilbaai on Monday.
Originally the NSRI were called when the baby whale was ‘high and dry’ on the beach and they managed to ‘encourage’ the young mammal back into the water.
However it could not make its way into the deeper surf due to a sandbank that was barring its way.
Two of the NSRI rescue swimmers attempted to ‘swim’ the baby further out but the tide was against them and back they all came to the beach.
Finally a rescue craft arrived on the scene and the big baby was loaded up and ‘shipped’ out to deeper waters where it was sent on its way.
Happily the baby seemed in good health and hopefully has a long healthy life ahead of it.
The pygmy is one of the smallest whale species and does not grow much bigger than a dolphin.
They are not common in our waters so chances are this one won’t be back anytime soon, but we hope it will carry with it happy memories of the good people of the NSRI who assisted it on its unscheduled visit to South African waters.
To make a donation to the National Sea Rescue Institute go here - it could be your life they rescue next time.
(Image by stendec. Creative Commons License)