PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - Good Samaritans went to great lengths to rescue a beached striped dolphin at Keurbooms Beach early this morning, Wednesday 1 June.
National Sea Rescue volunteers and members of the Southern Cape Marine Animal Stranding Network worked together and braved rough sea conditions to get the dolphin back into the ocean.
NSRI Plettenberg Bay station commander Jaco Kruger said they were alerted about the beached dolphin at about 07:30 on Wednesday morning.
“Our NSRI rescue vehicle, additional NSRI rescue swimmers, additional Southern Cape Marine Animal Stranding Network members and their marine scientist responded and Eastern Cape Marine Animal Stranding Network members were alerted,” he said.
On arrival, the teams tried to swim the dolphin out to sea, but their attempts had to be suspended in the rough conditions with large breaking swells and the backline relatively far off-shore.
A specialised stretcher was then arranged and the dolphin was loaded onto the back of an NSRI rescue vehicle and brought to their rescue base, where it was loaded onto a rescue craft.
Aboard the Ray Farnham Rescuer, the duty crew transported and released the dolphin at sea about two nautical miles off-shore.
“The dolphin appeared strong and healthy and swam away appearing to be swimming with confidence. We are cautiously optimistic that the dolphin has survived this ordeal,” Kruger said.
The cause of the beaching remains unknown.
The shoreline will be monitored.
“We commend the public members who raised the alarm. The pelagic animal is normally found in deep tropical and temperate waters,” said Kruger.
'We bring you the latest Plettenberg Bay, Garden Route news'
