EASTERN CAPE - PUBLIC CAUTIONED AS WHALE CARCASS ATTRACTS INCREASED SHARK ACTIVITY ON EC COASTLINE

Picture by: Johan Barnard – TNPA (Transnet National Ports Authority) Harbour Master, of the whale carcass lying on Anne Avenue Beach, St Francis Bay, Thursday 27th October.

NSRI are urging public caution along the Eastern Cape Coastlines of Oyster Bay, St Francis Bay and Jeffreys Bay.

A whale carcass that washed up on Anne Avenue Beach on the St Francis Bay coastline (originally found floating off-shore of Jeffreys Bay on Wednesday afternoon – see below the original Media Release NSRI Jeffreys Bay 26th October) is believed to have caused a larger than normal shark presence in the area.

Sharks were spotted in the vicinity of the Krom River and Anne Avenue Beach, off-shore of St Francis Bay, close in-shore, over the past few days and their perceived increased presence is believed to be directly related to the whale carcass that beached on Thursday and which was then subsequently towed out to sea on Friday.

Bathers, paddlers, divers, sail boarders are urged to be cautious.

NSRI St Francis Bay – Friday, 28th October:

On Friday, 28th October,  NSRI St Francis Bay trainee crew member Mark White (who is also a saturation diver) and his friend, local Cody Futeran, in their private capacity, assisted Disaster Management who were tasked to remove the whale carcass from the beach.

The whale carcass, of a 15 meter Southern Right Whale, originally located by NSRI St Francis Bay floating off-shore of Jeffreys Bay on Wednesday afternoon, had drifted and beached by Thursday morning at Anne Avenue Beach, St Francis Bay.

Disaster Management were arranging for the removal of the whale carcass from the beach on Friday.

Mark and Cody assisted Disaster Management by securing the whale carcass into a bridal and rope and using their private jet-ski they transported end of the rope to the Chokka fishing boat Sparadon (positioned behind the breaker line at Anne Avenue Beach) and Sparadon, at high tide on Friday afternoon, towed the whale carcass off the beach and out to the deep sea where it was released for natural disposal.

Original Press Statement:NSRI JEFFREYS BAY – Wednesday, 26th October – Media Release:

Sara Smith, NSRI St Francis Bay station commander, said:

At 10h05, Wednesday, 26th October, NSRI St Francis Bay duty crew were activated by the Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) to investigate eye-witness reports of a whale suspected to be beaching or in difficulties off-shore of Jeffreys Bay.

We launched the Sea Rescue craft Spirit of St Francis II and on arrival on the scene confirmed that a whale carcass was floating off-shore.

To prevent the carcass from washing ashore TNPA have arranged a boat that will tow the whale carcass out to sea.

TO REPORT A SEA RESCUE EMERGENCY DIAL 112 FROM A CELLPHONE

VIA - nsri.org.za