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Nwicker60
08-Nov-11, 17:27
Upturned boat proved to be a dead whale

Wick RNLI lifeboat Roy Barker 2 was diverted from exercise on Sunday morning after receiving reports of a suspected overturned vessel off Wick Bay.
The lifeboat was two miles north of Noss Head when the call came in and quickly made its way back to Wick to investigate. On arrival at the scene there was what appeared to be a large oil slick and a vessel lying low in the water.
However on approaching the object there was an element of relief when it was found to be a dead Minkie whale drifting in the tide. The slick was being caused by fluids oozing from its carcass, which was being kept afloat by its inflated air sac.
The crew attached a rope to the whale and towed it out to sea to minimise the risk of it being washed ashore somewhere on the coast.
It appeared that the unfortunate whale had become entangled in creel ropes and had drowned.