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Beached
Beached
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Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Black & White III (Advanced Editing V)
Camera: Fujifilm FinePix S5500 Zoom
Location: Marsden Point, New Zealand
Date: Nov 10, 2006
Aperture: 4.5
ISO: 100
Shutter: 1/400
Galleries: Nature, Animals
Date Uploaded: Nov 10, 2006

 Weekend strandings leave 54 pilot whales dead

Two mass strandings in 48 hours have left 54 pilot whales dead on Ruakaka and Uretiti beaches south of Whangarei.

In the first stranding on Friday near the Marsden Pt oil refinery, 40 whales were refloated by Department of Conservation staff and community volunteers.

Another 37 were found dead or dying and were buried on public conservation land nearby.

DoC staff and nearly 100 volunteers turned out again further down the beach at Uretiti on Saturday when about 45 whales beached themselves in a second stranding.

DoC, New Zealand Oil Refining Company and Coastguard boats, joined by private boaties, manoeuvred off the beach to help herd refloated whales out to sea.

Department of Conservation Whangarei marine co-ordinator Alan Fleming said yesterday 17 whales died on the beach but at least another 28 were successfully refloated.

They were later seen 3km east of Bream Head swimming strongly out to sea.

An aerial search of the area yesterday turned up no sightings of the pod.

Mr Fleming said local iwi would bone some of the 17 dead animals left on the beach before they were buried.

DoC spokesman Reuben Williams said pilot whales were known to restrand themselves as they had in the weekend but no one knew exactly why.

Meanwhile, a pod of 30 pilot whales was reported to be in Tryphena Harbour on Great Barrier Island yesterday afternoon.

It was not known if they were from the same group that had stranded on the Northland coast.

DoC area manager Dale Tawa said the Tryphena pod, with several young, were being monitored although they were not stranded.

"They may be sheltering from the high winds and rough seas. We're keeping an eye on them."

Statistics
Place: 171 out of 424
Avg (all users): 5.5954
Avg (commenters): 6.4615
Avg (participants): 5.4821
Avg (non-participants): 5.8033
Views since voting: 1039
Views during voting: 277
Votes: 173
Comments: 16
Favorites: 2 (view)

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AuthorThread
 11/29/2006 06:22:26 AM
You were there! Incredible, 54 pilot whales dead in
one weekend.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/22/2006 10:05:47 PM
Horribly under-rated in this challenge. This is a work of art that speaks deep
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
11/19/2006 10:59:48 AM
such a powerful capture of a sad situation, without being sappy or sentimental. excellent!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/19/2006 07:09:57 AM
Very sad, but a fact of life...
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/19/2006 05:01:41 AM
Bummer
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/18/2006 04:35:10 PM
painful. Nice croppppp decision
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/17/2006 09:34:33 PM
this is very hard to look at...a strong journalistic shot, with an interesting artistic point of view...
really affects me...
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/17/2006 09:08:19 AM
amazing capture. you let their impossibly forms speak for themselves, but also your merciless crop speaks volumes. 9
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/16/2006 07:45:11 AM
I think what hurts this is the crop, I reqally wish I could see the head and tail on the first one as well Nice lighting on the sand in front but also not deep enough, the way the last one is cut off is disturbing also, just wish I could see more all round.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/15/2006 08:53:04 AM
australia I think... a very strong image, 10.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/14/2006 12:55:38 PM
Always wondered why this happens...wish you hadn't cut both head and tail of the closest one..
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/13/2006 11:05:10 PM
Interesting subject matter that probably could have made for a very eye-popping shot. Unfortunately, here it looks like the photographer just walked up, pointed the camera down, and snapped one off. I want to see this from the point of view of you lying on the ground, showing me the faces of these beasts, presenting them in a way that really gives impact to their situation. I have to say I think this was an opportunity missed. Good luck.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/13/2006 06:51:59 PM
that's a sad picture.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/13/2006 04:18:47 AM
a different angle on these whales might ,ake for a stronger image but great tones.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/13/2006 01:31:07 AM
i see babies, how sad...
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/13/2006 12:08:22 AM
Brilliant, 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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