Dead whales found lodged under hull of warship as it docks in San Diego
An Australian destroyer pulled into San Diego Bay Saturday with an unexpected cargo: two dead fin whales lodged against the ship’s hull. And their size is no trivial matter. The largest carcass belonged to a female adult measuring 65 feet long, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The other was much smaller at 25 feet long, likely a calf.
The whales were discovered as the ship, HMAS Sydney, berthed at Naval Base San Diego, the Australian Royal Navy said in a statement. The Sydney, a Hobart-class guided missile destroyer, has been in Southern California-area waters since April conducting joint exercises with the U.S. Navy. At 481 feet long, the ship is slightly smaller than the U.S. Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class destroyers. It is the ship’s first deployment after being commissioned last May.
Large vessels frequently strike fin whales inadvertently and unknowingly, and the dead whale remains wrapped around the bow, held in place by pressure as the boat moves forward. “Often times, (mariners) don’t know until they come in and stop,” said Justin Viezbicke, coordinator of NOAA’s California Marine Mammal Stranding Network. “That’s when the whale falls off and floats out.” It is unknown where the ship may have struck the whales.
Navy crews at the base tied the carcasses to a dock against booms, to prevent the whales from drifting into the harbor’s traffic lanes. The larger whale was then towed out to sea by a large boat, while the smaller whale was supposed to be hauled to Miramar Landfill sometime Wednesday, Viezbicke said. The calf appeared to sustain significant damage, he said, and there were fears the carcass may not hold together during a tow at sea.
https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/military/story/2021-05-12/dead-whales-australian-warship
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