Rescued whales still facing danger

The fate of more than 100 pilot whales freed after stranding off a remote South Island beach remained uncertain last night as they threatened to return to the shore.

Volunteers who had left in high spirits after helping refloat the whales at high tide at Puponga beach later discovered about half of the animals had got in more difficulty in shallow waters about 4km down the coast.

"Everybody was driving home with some smiles on their faces, and they looked out their windows and here were whales in the surf," said Department of Conservation marine expert Andrew Baxter.

"If we had got here maybe five or 10 minutes later then we would have had another full stranding on our hands again."

Mr Baxter said it was not uncommon for rescued whales to strike more problems.

"It's a bit disappointing because we thought everything was looking rosy.

"In the morning we could well have another stranding and we'll just have to deal with it when nature throws it at us."

About 130 of the whales first stranded at the Golden Bay beach on Tuesday despite the best efforts of DoC staff and volunteers to block them.

Fifteen died, but a big effort involving about 300 volunteers freed the surviving animals about 2pm yesterday.

Helped by a rising tide, cold and tired volunteers pulled the whales offshore using large harnesses.

Exhausted after more than 24 hours of struggling to get free, the group of about 115 whales slowly fought to find their balance in the water.

Then, metre by metre, a human chain pushed them out to sea and the opportunity to have a second chance at life.

"They were all over the place, circling and coming back towards us. It took them a while to figure out which way to go," said volunteer Ngarie Jones.

"When you let them go and they are swimming and regrouping it's almost like they are saying 'thank you' to us."

After the whales had been refloated, the shallow waters of the bay were quickly deserted again. Only the protruding fins of the few dead whales gave any sign there had been a stranding.

Dutch tourist Yvonne Krabshuis knew that the whales were responding to her and other people around them.

"You know that they know you are helping them. They are very good," she said.

"They are very warm. The air coming out of them is very warm and their tummies are really warm.

"In Holland we don't have strandings.

"Yesterday when I heard about this on the television I thought 'I have to go there. I just have to help'."

English tourist Kevin Brackley said she found it a very emotional experience.

"The worst part is approaching them. Once you get there and touch them, they understand what you are doing."

Mr Baxter said Golden Bay was an infamous "whale trap" because of the hook shape of Farewell Spit and the shallow waters.

"At low tide you can walk three or four km. It is a very gently shelving shore."

It was thought the sloping shore may have confused the sonar the whales used for direction.

"They are very social animals and they look after each other.

"If an animal is giving birth or is sick and heads into shallow waters, the rest of the pod follows," Mr Baxter said.

"It's that altruistic behaviour that helps them in many respects in the wild that may well be their undoing.

"But there is no one thing that causes a stranding.

"It is two or three things that combine on the day."