We just went out to check — the gray whale that died on Arroyo Beach two days ago is still off The Arroyos. However, as you can see in our photo taken minutes ago, it’s not particularly visible (aside from the tip of a fin) – and though the low tide of the day hasn’t arrived yet, the whale is now far enough out that it doesn’t appear the receding tide will reveal it. We’ve got a message out to NOAA for the latest, but they had told us last night that they hadn’t found a location to take it yet, so it wouldn’t be moved until that detail was locked in. We’ll add new information whenever we get it. 1:15 PM UPDATE: Nearby resident Scott took a photo at 1, right around the lowest point of today’s lowest tide, and this still is all you can see. 2:03 PM: Just got a note from one of the many people who took photos of the whale yesterday – but there are some closeup views here that you probably haven’t seen before – here’s the link. 2:33 PM UPDATE: Just talked to Brian Gorman with NOAA, and he sent the official brief media update:
The whale is now secured to a buoy near where it stranded Wednesday evening … It will be towed early Saturday morning to a location in Puget Sound that will allow researchers from Cascadia Research Collective and Washington’s Department of Fish and Wildlife to perform a necropsy. After the necropsy is completed, the carcass will remain on the beach to decompose. Its skeletal remains will be collected and given to Highline Community College in Des Moines, Wash.
He says it took a while for them to find state-owned land where the necropsy could be done and the whale left – they don’t sink the carcasses as they once used to.
| 11 COMMENTS