NZ and Tasmanian cetacean strandings (Part I)

Ok here are some more... Actually I don't smell too fragrant either... This was a long way north of Murawai Beach, on Auckland's west coast. We drove north along the beach for approx. 20-25 minutes and estimate it was about 25-30Km north of Murawai Bch.


A pretty dismal scene as the tide comes in...

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Steve taking pics.

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The tip of the lower jaw - note the scratches and damaged teeth.

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Steve,

My shots have been photoshopped quite a bit... Lightened or darkened, sharpened, colour-corrected, horizon-straightened and reduced in size for internet consumption. :mrgreen:


Beaks and assorted whale goo...

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Note the scratches...

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A headless Felipe takes pictures of the flukes.

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No really, that's a Honda City... It's not everyday you get to overtake a Honda City, on the inside, on a beach, in a Landrover (I could go on)...

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Pre - jaw removal

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Steve O'Shea said:
You're on; probably leaving ~ 1pm. Sounds strange for TPOTH and O to arrange a time online, rather than face-to-face, but the way things have been these past few weeks we don't see each other that often (except for this eve, when he told me I'd had a drink)

First off, Master O, i must thank thee :notworth: I got to see my first whale (albeit beached, dead, rotting, drawn and quartered... but that's cool when you're into that sort of stuff :twisted: ) *happy dance*

As much as i get to deal with roting fish and macerating skulls on a more or less daily basis, i can safely say that nothing prepares you for such a stench. This brings smelly to a whole new different level. :bonk: Note for later: do not park the car downwind of the whale :lol:

I'm rummaging through the pictures i took to see if i can add something but i reckon you two probably covered everything... :wink:

Would have loved to nab a pectoral fin or the tail before the tide came in... Note to self: next time, bring chainsaw and somebody to run interference

TPOTH
 
Ok, my batch of pictures, since it's been all about the whale, i thought i'd show you all the man behind it all :smile:

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Always prepared and still soooo clean... the "after" pictures were deemed to gory for the young'ens that are known to dwell on TONMO

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Like a kid in a candy shop! :lol:

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The lower jaw finally removed... with significant help from the digger brought to bury the whale but ran out of time so had to leave before the tide...

TPOTH
 
Matt Jones said:
No really, that's a Honda City... It's not everyday you get to overtake a Honda City, on the inside, on a beach, in a Landrover (I could go on)...

I was speaking to someone this morning .... did you know that there was a speed limit on the beach? Apparently it's 50km/hr (same as in town) ... but I think we took that 'city' doing 110. :goofysca: They called after seeing this rather distinctive, branded truck hurtling down the beach at breakneck speed (heavens, we did have 30km of beach, a whale and a return trip to get in before the tide turned on us).

Washed ~ 10kg of sand off the truck this morn ... and I'd like to thank the two persons that left stinking pairs of blood- and whale-soaked white and red socks in the back. As if the smell wasn't bad enough (fresh after last week).

I'm going to 'drop everything' in a minute and get into those squid beaks; there's a rather sensational story in there for sure. By months end I hope to have some data online.
 
TPOTH said:
Would have loved to nab a pectoral fin or the tail before the tide came in... Note to self: next time, bring chainsaw and somebody to run interference

A chainsaw!!!! Are you mad? You are soooooo doing that job. As for running interference, I think I'll just run. Also, what are you going to do with a 6' by 6' tail? It's not like it's going to fit under your bed?

Still it would be funny, and I would probably pay money to see it. Plus if we videoed it we could probably make a bit of money on the rights.
:wink: :P
 
Matt Jones said:
TPOTH said:
Would have loved to nab a pectoral fin or the tail before the tide came in... Note to self: next time, bring chainsaw and somebody to run interference

A chainsaw!!!! Are you mad? You are soooooo doing that job.
Of course! not gonna let somebody else spoil my fun :twisted:

As for running interference, I think I'll just run. Also, what are you going to do with a 6' by 6' tail? It's not like it's going to fit under your bed?
Was thinking it would make a cool display in the "marine" lab... so far we only have a handful of crummy B&W pages tacked on here and there.
Or i could just buy a really big bed...

Still it would be funny, and I would probably pay money to see it. Plus if we videoed it we could probably make a bit of money on the rights.
:wink: :P
And if it's not funny enough we can always blow up the whale... always makes for good viewing :lol:

TPOTH
 
As for running interference, I think I'll just run

There's the whole spraying of decomposing whale fragments to consider, while you chainsaw away... I can picture the pink mist and the desperate running (upwind)... Few however, can comprehend the stench, you earn information from beached whales...

Still, it would make great tv... Hey I'm right there with you! Well, upwind a bit.

:P

Was thinking it would make a cool display in the "marine" lab... so far we only have a handful of crummy B&W pages tacked on here and there.


Two words:

extractor fan

Many words:

We don't have one yet.
 
Matt Jones said:
Two words:

extractor fan

Many words:

We don't have one yet.


awwww c'mon Matt where's your adventurous spirit? your scientifically enquiring mind? (before you ask YES I have smelled decomposing whale and seal and seal lion!)

Y'never know you could bottle the scent and sell it as "l'eau de whale pong" would fit right in there with last years "l'eau de squid pong"


J
 

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