100 Nova Scotia Volunteers Rush To The Beach To Save A Stranded Whale

January 3, 2018

More than 100 Nova Scotians spent their New Year's Day saving the life of a beached whale at Rainbow Haven Beach.

Photo credit: Trevor Kennedy

A local resident out for a stroll spotted the whale at 9 a.m. on Monday and sent pictures to Andrew Reid of the Marine Animal Response Society.

Reid immediately headed to the beach with his rescue gear, as a call went out on Facebook for people join in on the effort to help the 3,500 pound mammal back into the water.

News of the whale's plight spread fast on Facebook, and via word of mouth. More than 100 people came to the beach with shovels and blankets to do all they could, even as temperatures hovered at around 14 °F.

Nancy Briggs Carr / Facebook

The volunteers laid a flotation pontoon next to the whale and carefully rolled it onto a mat before dragging it off the beach. Reid, some volunteers and a few surfers in wet suits walked the animal out into deeper water before releasing it.

"After the animal was refloated and left the area, we went up the coast and talked to a few people who saw the animal swimming by, heading out to deeper water," Reid said. "As far as we know he left the area and can hopefully find its pod or another pod again."