photosarah Loc: East Sussex, UK

A friend in the UK sent me this story. Maybe some of you UHH friends in the USA already know about this? There was a picture of the whale and a diver, but I cannot make a copy appear here, so all you get is the story. But the story alone is worthwhile.


..The Whale... If you read a recent front page story of the San Francisco Chronicle, you would have read about a female humpback whale who had become entangled in a spider web of crab traps and lines. She was weighted down by hundreds of pounds of traps that caused her to struggle to stay afloat. She also had hundreds of yards of line rope wrapped around her body, her tail, her torso, and a line tugging in her mouth.

A fisherman spotted her just east of the Farallon Islands (outside the Golden Gate ) and radioed an environmental group for help. Within a few hours, the rescue team arrived and determined that she was so bad off, the only way to save her was to dive in and untangle her.

They worked for hours with curved knives and eventually freed her. When she was free, the divers say she swam in what seemed like joyous circles. She then came back to each and every diver, one at a time, nudged them and pushed them gently around as she was thanking them.

Some said it was the most incredibly beautiful experience of their lives. The guy who cut the rope out of her mouth said her eyes were following him the whole time, and he will never be the same.

May you, and all those you love, be so blessed and fortunate to be surrounded by people who will help you get untangled from the things that are binding you.

And, may you always know the joy of giving and receiving gratitude. I pass this on to you, my friends, in the same spirit.

tschmath Loc: Los Angeles

A beautiful story and an even more moving moral. Thanks for sharing.

Robert Graybeal Loc: Myrtle Beach

I read that story a few years ago, it happened on Dec 11, 2005.
It's one of my two favorites.
The other one is Christian the Lion, raised by humans, released into the wilds of Africa, then reunited with the guys who raised him.
http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=christian+the+lion+reunion&qpvt=christian+the+lion+reunion&FORM=VDRE

rayford2 Loc: New Bethlehem, PA

Thank you, Photosarah

Phreedom Loc: Kitchener, Ontario, Canada

As reported in the San Francisco Chronicle: http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Daring-rescue-of-whale-off-Farallones-Humpback-2557146.php#photo-2699481

SWFeral Loc: SWNM

I saw the video and it was indeed remarkable. The whale practically danced. She could've just swum away, but she performed, and it surely did look like thanks if you'll forgive my anthropomorizing.