STRANDED ON BEACH

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22444, 13 June 1936, Page 12

STRANDED ON BEACH

29 WHALES AT NAPIER SOME TOWED BACK TO SEA [»V TKI.KGKAPH —;OWN COHItKSI'ONDKNT] NAPIER. Friday Twenty-nine blackfish, a small species of whale, were stranded on Westshore Beach, Napier, early this morning, and employees of the Napier Harbour Board have been towing them out to sea again. They vary in size from 12ft. to 16ft.. and some weigh more than a ton. Apparently finding the shallow water near the beach to their liking, they came close in at about 6 o'clock this morning. The falling tide caught them and tlie.v were stranded in the sand. Being mammals, they live a Ibng time out of water, with the result that some ol them were still alive this afternoon. Others were dead, however, and present the problem as to the best method of disposing of them before they cause a nuisance. A launch was used to tow tlieni out to sea. A thick rope was tied to the tail of each, which was then towed backwards to deep water and released. Some returned to the shore and were stranded again. A party of fishermen stripped the blubber off one with a view to boiling it down for oil. The carcase was removed immediately. As the blackfish writhed in the shallow water they made noises not unlike the bark of a dog. Occasionally they showed aggressiveness when the men tried to roll them back to deeper water. A number could be seen cruising oil' shore sending up spurts of water and lashing their tails in the air.