WESTPORT — Three marine mammal researchers have managed to free a young humpback whale that found itself tangled in crab pot gear off the entrance to Grays Harbor on the Washington coast.
The Olympian reported that the trio from the nonprofit Cascadia Research of Olympia worked from their 20-foot boat. Tuesday’s rescue off Westport Harbor took nearly three hours. A Coast Guard crew in a 47-foot boat assisted.
John Calambokidis of Cascadia Research describes the whale as very approachable and says it seemed to initiate close contact with the inflatable boat. The crab line and floats were wrapped around the whale’s flukes, but the Cascadia crew was able to cut the line attached to the crab gear and set the whale free. The newspaper says markings on the float indicated it was a crab pot from Oregon.
Once freed, the whale swam away quickly.
Talk to us
- You can tell us about news and ask us about our journalism by emailing newstips@heraldnet.com or by calling 425-339-3428.
- If you have an opinion you wish to share for publication, send a letter to the editor to letters@heraldnet.com or by regular mail to The Daily Herald, Letters, P.O. Box 930, Everett, WA 98206.
- More contact information is here.
