Stranding #1

January 6, 2012

10:10PM

"A stranding has occurred on Farewell Spit, Golden Bay. We need volunteers at Triangle Flat 7 am tomorrow morning. Text back YES if you can attend. Take wetsuits."

When I received this text from Project Jonah, I was in my pj's, watching TV, winding down for bed. I froze. This was the text we've been waiting for. A text that indicates an opportunity to film the rescue of whales, the basis of our film. I text Vanessa, she then called me, and we exclaimed about the chance. 

22:40 I read my txt messages Sara: “did you get that txt!” & the one from Project Jonah. This was followed by many frantic phone calls to Sara in Dunedin and Kim from Project Jonah to get more details.

Of course I had to go. We had to go. The big question at this point was how I was getting to Christchurch, where Vanessa was living, and when I could I arrive there. Buses were finished for the night. The first flight was at 7am the next day. Not soon enough. I text a friend of mine. He said he would be there shortly. My adrenaline peaked, going to bed was the last thing on my mind now. I ran around the house, threw my suitcase open, started washing dishes, threw a few pieces of clothing in the suitcase, washed some more dishes, threw some books in the suitcase, dumped the rubbish outside, and continued to bounce around the house until my friend showed up. By 11pm we were on the road to Christchurch.

There were no buses or flights to ChCh until the next day, this just wouldn't do – Thankfully a fellow Scicommer began the journey of driving Sara to ChCh.


It became Saturday at some point. Meanwhile I was checking all the cameras and packing somewhat bewildered that it was ACTUALLY happening! A bit of an adrenaline kick as I try to organize myself. Especially since in just one week we were planning on being up there! Nevertheless I finalized with the help of siblings everything into the trusty Subaru Impreza otherwise known as “Roo”. Cheers Marshall clan and ciao!
    Right at about 1am I decided since I will be the solo driver for this mission I should get some sleep. Rumble-shake-bang! Another 5.5 earthquake rocks me awake more adrenalin...followed by the household waking including petrified newly Dubai emigrated dog that has trouble understanding these crazy quakes – poor pooch. Eventually after a few minor wiggles I fall to sleep. I fumble my phone Sara is ringing she has made it to ChCh...eventually making it to my house – GOOD JOB!
    We fumble the extra luggage into Roo, say goodbye to Papa and the dog who are both awake at 5ish and head north on a mission, to film a mass whale stranding and help where we can.
    Driving like a woman possessed I had a moment of indecisiveness fueled by lack of sleep when we turned off (Picton) highway north towards Hanmer (Lewis Pass) 5 mins later I was like...are we going the right way? Sara of course is on a maiden voyage to these parts so it was up to my memory which needed caffeine and sleep...then I saw the Lewis pass sign and all was well! Driving...driving...MUST sleep...driving STOP pull over at Maruia Waterfall zzzzzzzz 08:00 deep sleep 30mins wake up and we are off again...Murchison! MUCH needed coffee & muffin at the little hotel... amusingly enough a whale is pictured on the toilets. Roo got its juice too.

 
Feeling reborn after my fix we head endlessly north. All the while motivated by the somewhat solemn notion that no matter how hard this day is going to be for me its nothing compared to what a beached whale is going through right now.

Takaka hill done, rolled into Takaka grabbed some food and kept on driving, meanwhile whales had been re-floated in high tide which was at 9. We arrive at the spit at 13:00 yaaay! 
  
Half asleep and losing my sense of time, we finally arrived at Farewell Spit at 1pm. Project Jonah volunteers did an amazing job caring for the whales and pushing them back to sea. Now it was time to keep the whales from restranding. There were people from DOC, Project Jonah, and now the filmmakers added to the mix.


Right then we grab our cameras wetsuits a ride with D.O.C. (Department of Conservation) abut 5km until we reach the re-floated whales – along the way an airy sight 2 pilot whales dragged to the top of the beach to be buried, what a surreal sight, really sad yet intriguing they don't look real in a way, poor things. Most of the people there had been trying to save them since 7am so they saw it happen to us it was a wee shock of reality.
 
We hitched a ride with DOC (the Department of Conservation) to the boats that were being used to herd the whales out farther. On the way we passed the whales that did not make it, and were being taken to their resting place. My heart staggered. This is serious. This could happen to the other whales if they restrand, or if Project Jonah and DOC were not here to help save them.   


We wait patiently and we are are allowed onto the small vessels trying to keep the whales from re-stranding. The problem is the sand shelf goes on for ages! The aim was to get them as close to Separation point.

We eventually boarded one of the two boats being used to guide the whales away from the bay. It was an intense effort since for some reason once they were close to heading in the right course, they would get turned around, and needed to be reorientated again. 

The mood on the boat was really friendly and professional. The day of filming and getting very close to 16 frolicking pilot whales draws to a close at 19:30.


Eventually, they managed to swim in the right direction, and it was called a day. The whales swam off, never to be seen again (which is a good thing). Whales saved, filming accomplished, sleep finally to be had.

We are very thankful excited and just plain exhausted! In our dazed state we drive back in Takaka, luckily a lovely person we spent the afternoon with puts us up on there couch & floor and we end up at an amazing house where everyone is just fantastic we eat and trundle home to attempt to sleep...full well knowing the whale could re-strand in the morning so we have to charge batteries and prepare for the next day.
    
Sunday we arose at 9 sort of rested from a restless sleep probably because my body still needs to purge some adrenaline. A quick check of my phone no txt YES the whales have not re-stranded and we can relax, sigh. We pack up and try to find some accommodation, we hit the excellent Wholemeal cafe of Takaka find a flyer for accommodation in Para para, thats us sorted a place to stay for a week. The rest of the day is a bit of a blur we are happy to eat and sleep.