A pod of 125 pilot whales stranded near  Farewell Spit not too far from
where I used to live.  The area of Golden Bay is probably one of the most
beautiful places in New Zealand but unfortunately can be a whale death trap.
The last stranding was in 1998 and there have been many others earlier.   I
suspect it is the shape of the spit that disrupts their sonar or another
theory is that when one of the pod gets sick and beaches they won't leave it
and beach themselves.    People have come from all over New Zealand to keep
them alive until the next high tide when they  try to refloat them.   People
nearby heard them crying during the night and watching it made me cry too.

They refloated the whales last night and everyone has been praying that they
will go back out to sea and not beach themselves again (highly likely).    A
spotter plane went up at six this morning and didn't find them but latest
news is that they are coming perilously close to the beach again and there
might have to be another rescue for them.  Sixteen have already died so I am
praying that the rest will make it.

Then straight after that item on the news came the story of the Greenpeace
people trying to stop the Japanese whalers from slaughtering whales
ostensibly for scientific purposes but really for the sale of whale meat.
Strange isn't it, we as a nation are trying to save the whales and they want
to kill them!  Whale-watching is big business in New Zealand and tourists
love it.

If you would like to see the story and pictures go to
www.stuff.co.nz       The picture of the whale crying had me sniffing again.

Bev