Spirits Bay

Among the wonderful Spring photos we were sent after the last email, is this one now on our website. It is of Spirits Bay in the Far North of New Zealand. One of the many magnificent beaches, but one which is very topical as it was the bay in which 40 whales stranded themselves a few days ago.

The bay has a very steep beach which even makes swimming dangerous. In addition there was a 2 metre swell coming off the beach when the whales stranded. So refloating the whales there was impossible. Instead the Department of Conservation workers and local helpers loaded 24 whales on to trucks and transported them 50 kilometres to Rarawa Beach - no mean feat. 3 whales died en route and a further 7 re-stranded themselves but 14 of the huge, magnificent creatures were refloated and swam away.

Today the DoC workers (one of whom sent this photo) and the locals were still burying the whales which had died or had to be euthanased and were checking the area by boat and plane to make sure the pod of 14 hadn't restranded. So far so good.....