WHALES STRANDED.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 30, 6 February 1928, Page 8

WHALES STRANDED.

SCHOOL OF FORTY-TWO.

AT WHANCAREI HEADS. ALL FOLLOWED THE LEADER. (By Telegraph—Own Correspondent.) WHANGAREI, this day. Excitement reigned at Whangarei Heads on Saturday evening when a school of 42 small whales of the bottlenosed variety became stranded on the beach near Castle Rock. They had previously been disporting themselves in the channel, while Mr. McGregor's launch Karoro was proceeding to Urquhart's wharf, and they afforded much interest to the passengers.

Tlio leader of the school turned towards "the shore and til followed him. A M-ene of great confusion followed as the stranded whales lashed tho water and emitted weird roars. Two whales which had not stranded swam to and from their less fortunate companions for nearly two hours, and then evidently decided to die with them, for they, too. ran ashore.

.Most of the whales lived through the night, and some all day on Sunday, despite the tierce heat. They varied in length from live to twenty feet. Some of the larger specimens would weigh over a ton and a-half.

At high tide on Sunday all the whales were towed into the channel and it was hoped they would drift to sea.

A similar incident occurred about five vears ago, when over 00 blackfish beached at Marsdcn Point.