When I go to the beach, there are a few things I like to do. I have a bit of a routine, actually. First, I’ll set up my towel close to the water. I like to warm up and get a little sun first, so I’ll lie down and wait to get hot. Then I’ll go for a walk and see what interesting things the water has washed ashore. I love to collect seashells and sea glass, or any fun looking jagged rocks. Sometimes I can even find dried up starfish or sand dollars.
I’ve never come across anything out of the ordinary, maybe a cool-looking, goopy jellyfish, but really, nothing much more than that. Now, if I was on one of these walks and I came across a distressed beach whale, that’s a whole different story.
Firstly, I’d probably rub my eyes to see if what I’m seeing is actually real. The sight of a beached humpback whale is not only alarming, but it’s urgent! The poor animal needs to be helped immediately. So when this gentle giant was found helpless and stranded on the shore, 200 miles south of Buenos Aries, Argentina in the resort town of Mar del Tuyu, 30 people banded together to try to free the poor animal.
While the cause of his beaching is unclear, it could be one of many reasons. The animal could be sick, traumatized, injured or caught in a patch of water pollution that caused him to veer off track. Whatever the reason, the whale winded up stuck in the shallows of the beach, unable to move and all alone.
Lucky for him, beach-goers spotted him immediately and they were able to get all hands on deck. They brought in a crane to help hoist the whale. After 28 hours of lifting and digging trenches, rescuers were exhausted and could see that the whale felt the same way. They needed to try something different because this way wasn’t getting anybody anywhere.
Rather than lifting up, they had another idea. Using a harness, they secured the whale to a tugboat, and they were able to pull him out of his tight spot, bringing him into deeper water where he was able to swim out effortlessly. It took an incredible amount of effort and a show of strength, but with a little ingenuity, they managed to help their friend back home.
Click the video below to watch this story come together for a happy ending!
