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The Department of Conservation is calling for as many volunteers as it can get tomorrow to help refloat 24 pilot whales stranded on a remote Far North beach.
Today howling winds up to 100kmh hampered efforts to rescue 24 surviving whales at Spirits Bay, east of Cape Reinga.
A crew of 100 volunteers and 60 DOC staff has worked tirelessly through the day to move the survivors from a 5km stretch of beach to the stream at the southern end of Spirits Bay, where they will be kept tonight.
The plan is move them 50km by truck to Rarawa Beach, on the east coast, and refloat them tomorrow.
Eight trucks, more mats and haybales had been assembled for tomorrow's effort and DOC incident controller Jonathon Maxwell said they needed "all the help we can get".
"There's no getting around the fact that we need person power, especially at Rarawa Beach tomorrow morning."
Anyone wanting to help should contact the Department of Conservation first on phone (09) 408 6014, then drive to Rarawa Beach. Warm wetsuits and wind-proof clothing are a must.
"Things haven't been easy and would be totally unmanageable without the volunteer contribution we're getting," Mr Maxwell said.
"We're giving the surviving whales our combined best shot. People who have helped in the last couple of days should feel very proud of their efforts and know that the department is extremely grateful."
Winds hamper rescue effort
Howling winds up to 100kmh are hampering efforts to rescue 24 surviving whales on a beach in the Far North.
The exact number of whales who have died is not known, but there are at least 12 dead on the beach at the remote Spirits Bay, 90km north of Kaitaia, and a number of others in the water.
Although weather relief had been forecast today, a weather station at Cape Reinga reported the wind remained very strong.
Gusts of between 80kmh and 100kmh had been recorded since the whales were reported stranded at 11.30am yesterday and earlier today.
If the winds and high seas drop, conditions may be suitable for an attempt to refloat the whales tomorrow.
By midday a team of about 160 rescuers was working to merge three groups of whales into one and move them to a stream at the southern end of Spirits Bay.
This would make it easier to keep the whales wet and comfortable and be more efficient for the rescue team, said incident controller Jonathon Maxwell.
The spread of whales across a large beach area had added to the difficulties of organising the rescue.
"We want to focus now on what we can do for the surviving whales and use our effort most effectively," Mr Maxwell said.
The plan was to keep the whales in the stream overnight and move them 50km by truck to Rarawa Beach and refloat them tomorrow.
Hoist and transportation options were being developed.
"These animals might not be large by whale standards, but they still weigh between one and a half to two tons. We need to do our best to move them carefully and look after them on their journey," Mr Maxwell added.
About 100 volunteers, made up of Department of Conservation (DOC) staff from Northland and Auckland, Project Jonah, Far North Whale Rescue, and local residents braved two metre swells and 20 knot winds to keep the surviving animals cool, wet and comforted overnight.
One juvenile whale died overnight.
Volunteers were still needed for the ongoing rescue effort. Anyone volunteering needs a thick wetsuit, wind-break clothing and be prepared to stay overnight in their own vehicle or tent. Volunteers should report direct to the Spirits Bay campground.
DOC's community relations programme manager in Kaitaia, Carolyn Smith, said the support from the public and community had been fantastic.
Te Reo Mihi Marae, in the nearby township at Te Hapua, had been opened up by the locals as a sleeping area and catering point, providing much needed food and drinks for the troops on the beach.
Local school children from Te Hapua had been on the beach with their teachers helping yesterday.
Some of the students, 13 and 14-year-old boys, were in tears.
Ms Smith said the opportunity for young people to engage in such a personal way with wild animals was amazing.
"These experiences can leave an impression for life. In fact many conservationists relate their love for their environment to personal experiences they had with nature growing up," said Ms Smith.
DOC has had to euthanase some of the weakest and most stressed whales.
This is the second mass whale stranding in the Far North in two months.
In August, a pod of 58 pilot whales stranded at Karikari Beach with just nine successfully refloated.
- NZPA
