Saved whales head out to sea

Rescuers help the stranded pilot whales at Karikari Beach yesterday. Photo / DoC

At least seven of the surviving 11 whales yesterday trucked a kilometre from one Northland beach to another were last night heading back out to sea, shadowed by Department of Conservation boats.

The 11 were the surviving members of a pod of 58 pilot whales that stranded on Karikari Beach on Friday.

More than 100 people helped to keep the survivors alive yesterday, but due to rough sea conditions it was too dangerous for volunteers to release the whales at Karikari.

They were instead trucked to sheltered Matai Bay about 1km away.

"It went really smoothly," said DoC Kaitaia community relations programme manager Carolyn Smith.

Rescuers took turns to stay with the whales once they had been transported, as the pod's survivors needed to be released as a group.

"There's no point in releasing them individually because they'll turn around and come back," said Project Jonah chief executive Kimberly Muncaster.

Late yesterday afternoon, rescuers prepared to take the pod's matriarch - a lactating female - out to sea by boat.

Once she was far enough out, the groups of people holding the remaining whales released them to follow the leader.

As darkness fell, seven of the whales were looking strong, but four were struggling.

DoC expected boats to follow the whales at least until dark.