More rescue recruits

Some passers-by thought they were witnessing a whale stranding at Ahipara on Sunday afternoon, when a small crowd gathered around a beached object on the sand near Kaka Street and began a co-ordinated rescue procedure.

There was no drama though. In fact it was the third and last of three whale rescue training sessions organised by Far North Whale Rescue, following good turnouts at Tapotupotu on Friday and Maitai Bay on Saturday.

FNWR spokesman Roger Gale said the Ahipara session was requested at the last minute by local man (and Project Jonah member) Les Bore, who said there was strong interest in the whale rescue procedure on the part of tourists and students at local surf schools.

A couple of dozen people took part, the programme including an indoor theory session and a practical demonstration on the beach using an inflatable whale (filled with a mix of water and air).

Roger said the aim was to show people what to do in the event of a whale stranding, and the response over the three days had been encouraging.

"It was good. We had 65 people taking part, and 50 of them signed up as members of FNWR. Most of the others were tourists, who can spread the message," he said.

It had also been an opportunity to test an innovative bamboo frame system used to carry the whales and a recently developed drag mat, both pronounced by Roger to have been a great success, while the participants had been enthusiastic and empathetic.

"People really rally, rise to it - no sad sacks," he said.

Around 85 per cent of the pilot whales rescued since Far North Whale Rescue was formed in 1991 had been successfully returned to the sea, he added, although nothing about mass strandings was predictable.

"They come in fits and starts. For five years there's nothing, then there're three in one year," he said.