Ash1

Hi,

Just got back from watching one of the most amazing sights that I`ve ever seen.
We heard through the grapevine that there was an Orca Whale washed up on Papamoa Beach so as we were passing thought that we would have a look. As we approached the area it became obvious that it was true by the amount of cars parked all over the place.
When we reached the beach , we could see a large digger and a huge pile of sand where they had been digging out a channel for the Orca once high tide came. The Orca was alledgedly 30 years old and called "Nobby". People were rushing around preparing for high tide which was imminent. There was a main group of helpers digging and throwing buckets of water onto "Nobby" to keep him hydrated and one lady who was "in charge" , who kept reassuring the obviously distressed animal who had apparently been there since 7:00 A.M
We had been there about an hour, watching as the tide slowly crept in. As the waves crashed around them , the helpers dug frantically around Nobby easing him into the channel were the sea had already started to shift sand back into. Two or three times Nobby thrashed his tail in an attempt to get out to sea but he was still grounded. The crowd had grown from a couple of hundred to now well over a thousand and let out a massive cheer as it appeared that freedom was to be restored and Nobby got himself into deeper water. The lady who was in charge was still holding on to Nobby`s fin and seemed to be going out deeper and deeper when she finally let go and punched the air in sheer delight. A massive cheer rang out and many a teary eye was wiped as the crowd stayed on to cheer on to dry land all the helpers.
One of the main helpers I noticed was Geoff (better half of Liz and Co) who must have been frozen as unlike all the other helpers he didn`t have a wet suit on. Well done Jiff (Geoff) you were bloody terrific.
It was a truelly moving experience.
Ash

Marika 38

I can't agree more Ash, have never seen anything so amazing, I was so happy, I cried, (and either liz had sand in her eye, or like me, she was very moved) when the Nobby swam away, with his friend holding his Fin, and everyone cheered and clapped. This is the second time Nobby has beached hiself, lets hope the last.
Jif did an amazing job, and worked tirelessly all afternoon. Many more there helping with rescue, all working so hard, in chilly conditions today. Good job everyone.
Will add a couple of pics soon.

pixi-dust

thats blooming brilliant!

Marika 38

First 3 of the photos I am having trouble putting on!!!!

shirl

What a lovely story and glad nobby found his way back to freedom and the sea. What a shame the same principles can't be applied to humans who get stranded!!! Think what a lovely the place the world would be then if we treated humans the same way, a good samaritan helping someone out and not getting killed doing it. But that is another thread

Well done to everyone who helped this beautiful Orca to freedom.

Batty

Oh well done!!!!! That's fantastic.

Elsie03

So disappointed that I missed this amazing event...too engrossed in an Art Workshop to even know what was happening.

Well done to all those involved especially Jiff, awesome!!!

Keep the photos coming Marika; they are so cool.

Lyn

Am Loolah

It's a word I hate - but appropriate - bloody awesome.

Huge heroic effort Mr Liz & Co.

I'll upload the pics and hopefully some DVD footage later.

BEVS

Please do. Thanks for the pics Marika .

It's lovely to know that Knobby will live another day thanks to the efforts of all those good people . These are such precious creatures after all

Marika 38

Few more I took. The last one is the happy moment when Nobby began to swim away.

iwannagonow

What a fantastic story!

Well done to everyone involved!

Great pics Marika

Am Loolah

It was an incredible thing to witness and I, for one, found it amazing. (Marika, Liz & Co didn't have sand in her eye, she was moved to tears by the fact that the tin of sardines she'd used to "massage" Jif's legs did NOT result in Nobby taking Jif with him out to sea ...)

I am struggling to upload my DVD footage - which is fantastic - on you tube. But for a small fee I'm willing to hold private viewings in my dining room for a small fee.

Liz & Co sent me some great photos but I can't open them to upload either, so here are some less great ones. Maybe when she has finished massaging him and gelling his hair for tomorrow's Hello interview, she'll post them herself?

Am Loolah

Having to upload one at a time?

Am Loolah

And another ...

Am Loolah

See Here

http://www.3news.co.nz/Video/Nobbyth...ID=73453#video