KEY POINTS:
A young orca is back at sea after more than a dozen volunteers completed an extraordinary overnight rescue mission yesterday.
The whale was driven 43km to Takapuna Beach on the back of a flat-top trailer after being stranded on the other side of the Auckland isthmus for more than 24 hours.
Among the crowd was the son of late, legendary ocean explorer Jacques-Yves Cousteau. Jean-Michel Cousteau, a renowned explorer, environmentalist and film producer in his own right, and his son Fabien are in New Zealand as guests of orca expert Ingrid Visser to shoot a documentary.
They had spent four days scouting for orca in Northland when Visser received a call on Friday afternoon about a possible sighting at Whatipu, near the treacherous mouth of the Manukau Harbour.
The crew jumped on a helicopter and met Department of Conservation staff at the exposed beach.
Cousteau told the Herald on Sunday the markings on the stranded whale suggested other orca had unsuccessfully tried to pull her back into the water.
The rescuers, joined by Project Jonah volunteers and Auckland Regional Council staff, raced against the incoming tide to manoeuvre the 3.4m orca, thought to be a 4-year-old female, onto a flat-top trailer so she could be moved to neighbouring, more sheltered Huia Beach.
Overnight, about 14 rescuers worked in pairs in two-hour shifts to keep her wet and comfortable.
Yesterday morning they drove her to Takapuna Beach, where she would have a better chance of navigating her way into open seas.
Five rescuers in bodysuits eased her into the water, rocking her to help her regain her equilibrium.
After a few tense minutes, she began swimming unaided, drawing a cheer from the crowd.
Cousteau and Visser followed on an inflatable raft to ensure she made open sea.
