Whale rescue off Shelly Beach

This afternoon, Tuesday, 24th December, NSRI Shelly Beach crew, Police Search and Rescue, Ezemvelo Wildlife rangers and Netcare 911 ambulance services responded to 1.5 km from the Shelly Beach Sea Rescue base where a juvenile 3.5 meter whale had beached.Initially attempts were made to float the whale out to sea and attempts were also made to get the whale onto a rigid inflatable sea rescue craft but those attempts failed.A one ton bakkie was brought to the scene and the whale was loaded, by a joint effort of NSRI, wild life rangers, emergency services, Police and the public, onto the back of the bakkie and transported to the Shelly Beach Sea Rescue base, all the while being kept moist with wet blankets and buckets of water.The whale was loaded onto the sea rescue craft CALTEX ENDEAVOR and transported to the vicinity of Protea Banks where it was released to the sea.It appears that the whale is healthy and rescuers are cautiously optimistic that the whale has survived.