Coast guard staff have described how a humpback whale freed from netting thanked them by “hugging” the side of their boat, and then followed them for twenty minutes.
Volunteers from the South African Whale Disentanglement Network (SAWDN) were called out after a report that a whale was entangled in netting off the coast of Cape Point at around 09:30 on Sunday morning.
SAWDN was formed in 2006 to deal with increased whale entanglements around the South African coastline.
Increased fishing, fishing techniques and fishing equipment coupled with increasing whale migrations saw a need for a specialised task team to follow in the footsteps of similar disentanglement networks globally that deal with the same scenario of whale entanglements around the world.
Two NSRI rescue craft found a 9m Humpback whale in the vicinity of Rocky Banks in False Bay trapped between two floatation buoys and two trawling lines.
The two teams got down to assisting the mammal, with one of the rescue boats acting as a distraction in front of the whale, while the second began cutting the ropes that entangled it from behind.
After a 5-hour operation, just before 16:00, the team’s efforts paid off.
“Once all rope and the floatation buoy were removed, in a most incredible reaction from the animal, the whale swam right up alongside the sea rescue craft, almost hugging the rescue boat,” spokesperson Craig Lambinon said on Sunday.
“He gently placed his head on the gunnel of the sea rescue craft.”
The whale remained there for almost 20 minutes, seemingly staring at his rescuers, Lambinon said.
“All involved described a surreal and emotional moment shared between the SAWDN volunteer team and this beautiful animal,” he added.
“The whale then swam off.”
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