Skip to content
  • Shop
  • SafeTrx
  • Contact Us
Facebook Twitter Instagram Flickr YouTube RSS
NSRI Logo
Donate now
Donate now Get involved
  • Newsroom
    • Rescues
  • About Us
    • Governance
    • Stakeholders
    • Values
    • Brand Ambassadors
    • Staff
    • Vacancies
    • History
    • Technology
  • Rescue
    • Base Finder
    • Infrastructure
    • In-House Training Academy
    • Lifeguards
  • Education
    • Water Safety Lessons in Schools
    • Pink Rescue Buoys
    • Emergency Signage
    • Rip Currents
    • Awareness Campaigns
    • Western Cape Drowning Prevention Framework
    • BravoBravo
  • Funding
    • Partnering with us
    • Sponsor a boat
    • Leave a gift in your will
    • Assets for sale
  • Library
    • Annual Reports
    • Sea Rescue Magazine
    • Ad Campaigns
    • Download Images and Artwork
    • Downloadable Posters
    • Policies
    • Guidelines
  • Donate to Win
    • 2021 NSRI Double Mitsubishi Car Competition
    • NSRI Monthly Cash Prize Draw
search
  • Newsroom
  • About Us
    • Brand Ambassadors
  • Shop
  • Rescue
  • Education
  • Funding
  • Library
  • Donate to Win
  • SafeTrx
  • Contact Us
search
close
  • You are here: Home
  • /
  • Rescue
  • /
  • Whale assisted in disentanglement operation

Whale assisted in disentanglement operation

Rescue / 24 June 2019

Ian Gray of SAWDN – The SA Whale Disentanglement Network, said:

At 10h08 on Monday  24 June, SAWDN – The SA Whale Disentanglement Network were activated following eye witness reports of a large female Humpback Whale accompanied by her calf entangled in fishing rope and 2 flotation buoys off Seabreeze and heading in the direction of St Francis Bay.

2 NSRI Port Elizabeth sea rescue craft accompanied by SAWDN volunteers and a SAWDN volunteer whale watching boat responded. Arriving on the scene we found the whale moving swiftly at about 5 knots and entangled in 2 wraps of fishing rope around her body and trailing fishing rope attached to 2 flotation buoys.

A NSRI St Francis Bay sea rescue craft accompanied by SAWDN volunteers had also launched to respond after the 2 whales were found to be heading swiftly towards St Francis Bay and the Port Elizabeth SAWDN volunteers were joined by a Jeffreys Bay SAWDN member. We rendezvoused with the entangled whale and her calf 1 nautical miles off Van Stadens.

2 Kegging lines were attached to the trailing rope and an additional line was run to one of the NSRI sea rescue craft to trail behind the whale in an effort to slow her down. This proved successful, giving the SAWDN members an opportunity to get close enough to the whale.

Using a rescue knife, our SAWDN volunteers cut one rope free of the whale and then pulled on a remaining rope entangled around the body of the whale – that rope came free and all rope and the flotation buoys were recovered.

While departing the scene the whale was seen to be breaching. An image of the breaching was captured on our onboard monitor.

The whale, and her calf, have continued on their way following this successful operation that was completed at 14h38.

SAWDN express gratitude to the many members of the public who kept SAWDN and NSRI updated to the position of the whales that had covered a good 15 kilometers from where the first reports were received to where we rendezvoused with her.

The South African Whale Disentanglement Network (SAWDN) was established in 2006 in order to manage entangled whales using specialized equipment and is comprised of trained volunteers from the – National Sea Rescue Institute, Telkom Maritime Radio Services, KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board, Department of Environmental Affairs, Centre for Sustainable Oceans at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Cape Nature, Mammal Research Institute, South African National Parks, South African Police Service, Department of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries, Cape Nature, Bayworld, various Boat Based Whale Watching and Shark Cage Diving Operators, the Rock Lobster Industry and the Octopus Industry and fully supported by the Dolphin Action and Protection Group.

SAWDN COVERS THE ENTIRE SA COASTLINE

Whales assisted to date: 184

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • LinkedIn
View previous story
View next story
  • Categories

  • Archives

  • Platinum Partners

    Platinum membership is an exclusive opportunity. Participation is limited to ten partners at any one time. Membership is seen as a long term partnership and brand investment over 5 years.


    Platinum partners


    Strategic Partners

    Magazine & Press Releases
    Receive news about the NSRI’s services, rescues, events, and more.

    • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

    South African flag The Charity that Saves Lives on South African Waters

    • Newsroom
    • About Us
    • Rescue Bases
    • SafeTrx

    Head Office

    Mon - Fri 08:00 - 16:00

    1 Glengariff Road
    Three Anchor Bay
    Cape Town, 8005

    33° 54’ 32” S; 18° 23’ 53” E

    Contact Info

    Tel: +27 21 434 4011
    Fax: +27 21 434 1661
    E-mail: info@searescue.org.za

    PO Box 154, Green Point, 8051
    South Africa

    Registration Numbers

    Co. Reg. No: 1967/013618/08
    NPO Reg. No. 002 – 870

    Facebook Twitter Instagram Flickr YouTube RSS
    Back to top
    • Site Index
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • NSRI Training Academy

    © 2021 NSRI. All rights reserved.

    Emergency Numbers

    Sea Rescue emergency number from your cell phone: 112

    NORTHERN CAPE

    063 698 8971       Port Nolloth


    WESTERN CAPE

    060 960 3027      Lamberts Bay
    082 990 5966      Mykonos
    082 990 5974      Yzerfontein
    082 990 5958      Melkbosstrand
    082 990 5963      Table Bay
    082 990 5962      Bakoven
    082 990 5964      Hout Bay
    082 990 5979      Kommetjie
    082 990 5965      Simon’s Town
    082 990 6753      Strandfontein
    072 448 8482      Gordon’s Bay
    082 990 5967      Hermanus
    082 990 5952      Agulhas
    082 990 5957      Witsand
    082 990 5978      Still Bay
    082 990 5954      Mossel Bay
    082 990 5955      Wilderness
    082 990 5956      Knysna
    082 990 5975      Plettenberg Bay
    072 446 6344      Theewaterskloof Dam
    082 990 5980      Air Sea Rescue Unit


    EASTERN CAPE 

    082 990 5968      Oyster Bay
    082 990 5969      St Francis Bay
    079 916 0390      Jeffreys Bay
    082 990 0828      Port Elizabeth
    082 990 5971      Port Alfred
    082 990 5972      East London
    082 550 5430      Port St Johns


    KZN  

    082 990 5951      Port Edward
    082 990 5950      Shelly Beach
    072 652 5158      Rocky Bay
    060 305 4803      Ballito
    082 990 5948      Durban
    082 990 5949      Richards Bay


    MPUMALANGA

    060 962 2620      Witbank Dam


    GAUTENG  

    060 991 9301      Gauteng


    NORTH WEST

    082 990 5961      Hartbeespoort Dam


    FREE STATE

    072 903 9572      Vaal Dam

     


    After hours, should you require our assistance,
    please do not hesitate to call: NSRI Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) 087 094 9774

    You can download the high res pdf of the emergency numbers here

    • Share
    • Tweet
    • LinkedIn

    For COVID-19 updates, visit official government website www.sacoronavirus.co.za