Nervous time for whale rescuers

Department of Conservation staff and volunteers moving the pod out to sea yesterday. Picture / NZPA

A pod of whales which was stranded on a beach in Golden Bay appears to be swimming to safety.

They have not come back in at high tide this afternoon, Newstalk ZB reported.

The whales were refloated yesterday but had been heading for another beach in the area this morning.

However, the Department of Conservation (DOC) said mid-morning that the whales were again swimming out to sea. And this afternoon there had been no sign of them coming back in towards land.

DoC and volunteer rescuers were monitoring the situation with high tide due at 2.45pm and strandings possible about two hours after that.

Spokesman Martin Heine told nzherald.co.nz this morning: "They were heading back, but they have done a bit of a u-turn and they look like they are heading in a north-easterly direction back out of Golden Bay.

"They are swimming into an incoming tide so that is good."

He said it sometimes took several cycles of strandings for the situation to be resolved.

Trish Grant, also at DOC, added that the whales were in no immediate danger, as the tide was still going out.

"But they're still in Golden Bay southeast of where they were yesterday, so there's a concern they will restrand. The crucial time will come this afternoon when the tide is coming in."

There has been no calls for volunteers to deal with another stranding, but Ms Grant said it could be possible.

"The situation is obviously not over and done with. We would be grateful if people could be alert and keep an ear out."

Harri Rautjoki, DOC's whale rescue coordinator, said 21 of the 129 pilot whales that became stranded on Tuesday died.

The dead whales were to be buried today by iwi in a sandy area close to the beach.

"That so many were saved is absolutely marvellous news. It was a tremendous effort by everyone," Mr Rautjoki said.

Hundreds of volunteers wearing wetsuits spent hours in chest-deep water, leading the whales to a channel that had been excavated by a digger in the morning. There were at least five people holding each whale, guiding the animals to deeper water.

Hundreds more lined the beach to watch the rescue.

"It was amazing to see them finally swim out," said volunteer Sandra Chambers.

"They are such beautiful animals and it was incredible to see them respond to human contact."

Seventy pupils and their teachers from a local primary School were among those who turned out to help.

Slings were used under the larger whales to get them moving.

But the whales were not released until the time was exactly right. DOC whale rescue coordinators waited until the animals were sufficiently close together and the tide was high before giving the signal.

"At one point there were whales swimming all around me. They were incredibly gentle, and no one seemed to be afraid," said Nelson volunteer Roger Sanders.

"It was amazing how they started to make noises as they got further out, especially the younger ones -- first a whining, then a clicking sound. I put my head under the water to hear more sound."

Another volunteer Judith Johnstone spent hours in the water with the leader of the group, a 5m whale that had been stranded furthest up the beach.

"It was an incredible honour to be able to help, and there was such a level of excitement as the whales started moving. It was heartwarming to see their strength of will," she said.