We’ve had a run of whale stories in Cruising Compass. Last week we linked to a story about a whale in Tonga protecting a SCUBA diver from a marauding tiger shark. And this week, rescuers off Maui managed to save a whale that swam close to shore with 285 feet of 3/8-inch braided line tangled in its mouth. For cruisers, the sight of a whale at sea is thrilling. And knowing that at some level we have a symbiotic relationship is kind of cool, too. Read the story below and click on the link to see the full slide show of the underwater rescue.
MAUI (HawaiiNewsNow) – An adult humpback whale is free after swimming in Maui waters entangled in rope. According to NOAA officials, the large whale was first reported entangled on Thursday by the captain of a fishing vessel.
A trained response team soon deployed and used a small inflatable craft to approach the animal. Officials said the whale became “very active” upon their initial approach, so they waited for it to calm down before attempting to remove the braided rope. Read more.