Beach Graveyard for Whales - WLJ

IALT: Write about the heroic acts volunteers did to save stranded whales.

Day 4 Activity 1: When you arrive in the south island, Curious Kiwi rents a shuttle van and drives your group from Picton (the town where the ferry dropped you off) to a beautiful beach on the opposite side of the island. The beach area is called Golden Bay and, at one end of the bay, is a stunning area called Farewell Spit.

Farewell Spit has been in the news recently as a number of whales accidentally swam into the spit and became stuck on the beach. They were unable to swim back to the ocean because the water was too shallow. Many local people tried to save the ‘beached’ whales. Please follow this Farewell Spit link to learn more about what happened. On your blog, describe what the local people did to try and save the beached whales.

This task involves me to read and tell my audience the kind of acts that help nature continue to breed, and thrive to success. Reading along the article, I came across some questions I would've asked if I had the chance to meet one of the local people. 

• What was your first thought about helping to keep these precious animals alive?
• Did you find it difficult at times to keep them cool in order for them to survive?
• Did you have any doubts about their health?

The people who volunteered to help the stranded whales used their chilli bins, water bottles , cooking pots and mixing bowls to help keep the whales cool and don't die of dehydration and stress. The best way to keep a whale cool is to keep them wet, cover them if you can, keep their blowhole clear at all times and stay away from their tails. 

The beach was a graveyard for whales who swam too close to shore and once stuck, couldn't get free due to the height of the water being too low to swim out again. These acts sometimes help the whales but most of the time they die before any help can be contacted ASAP. The local people kept them wet, applying water to the bodies to keep them well clean and cool, and covered them with their beach towels. Which is a very kind and loving act for nature itself. 

If it weren't for the acts of the local people, more and more whales wouldn't have their second chance to be set free. The mindset the local people have should be respected and be a motivation for other people to care for our animals because someday they will go extinct and no more will be alive to show our kids later on in the future. 

It was fascinating to read about so many whales being stranded on a beach and then most of them dead because they can't get back to open water. Luckily a group of local people help the animals and set them free again.

Feel free to leave a comment,

Many thanks :)