When I woke up early Sunday morning there was news of a whale beaching itself here on Hilton Head Island. Then it was stated that the location was across the street from me, about a five minute walk. So I walked over to the beach at about 6:45 AM Sunday to see this poor five year old whale beached and dying. It was not dead yet. Occasionally there were labored sounding gasps for breath. It was very sad to see such a huge and beautiful animal dying in such a way.
Later in the day a team from Florida came and euthanized the whale. I wasn’t there but I can only imagine how much medication had to be pumped into such a large mammal.
They will dig a very deep hole next to this whale and bury it at this location. The professionals are also trying to determine why the whale beached itself. It did so because it knew it was dying.
4 comments:
Google blowing up whale. From the 1970s. Same scenario. The removal went terribly wrong with a chunk of whale totaling and Oldsmobile.
ByzRus,
My mind went to the same incident. Kind of funny, but also sad. Really gives meaning to "rest in pieces."
Nick
Practical to the end,
it is the poem
of his existence
that triumphed
finally;
weakened fins, dim eyes
Peering into the sky
rheumy eyes searching for
a last glimpse of the sea.
Imitating ages of graceful flight
To the Master’s game.
A heart responding to ten thousand years
Of service to Creation,
Left to say
and it says it
without offense,
beautifully;
This was I,
my friends.
I did my best;
farewell.
I am always saddened by marine mammal strandings as well as porpoise deaths from commercial fishing. Beaching does not neccessarily mean it is dying, but can be a disorientation to include being caused by a minor illness, and a shame no way to get them back in the water.
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