| Rescue of an entangled seal |
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Read about the rescue of an entangled seal. Day 1 (5th July 1995) Just another day of normal duties for Garigal National Park field officers. Or so we thought! We were working in the Park when the two-way radio summoned us to return immediately to the depot: 'An entangled seal has been sighted off Sydney Heads'. As we hurried down the hill to the depot we could see the ORRCA Zodiac and the NPWS boat 'Penguin' being hitched to trucks. We quickly donned our wetsuits, hopped aboard one truck, and moved off in convoy. The next few hours were spent out to sea on a 1m swell, searching for a seal dragging a net with two or three buoys attached. We found nothing. Day 2 We were in the Park when again the two way radio interrupted our work: 'Kiama. The seal is now at Kiama. Is there anybody who can't go?' Dumb question! 'Okay, if we really have to', we replied and turned off the radio. 'You beaut!' we yelled. As the convoy of NPWS trucks drove through Sydney, the ORRCA Zodiac caught the attention of other travellers. At traffic lights, cars pulled alongside and the drivers asked us 'You gotta whale stranded on a beach, mate?' "No, a seal entangled in a net,' we replied. But as we approached Kiama, the locals knew why we were on the road. 'You guys come to save the seal? We heard about it on the radio.' Driving through Kiama our convoy was greeted with flashing headlights and beeping horns. Pedestrians waved, and called out good wishes. At the boat ramp we were briefed by the Volunteer Coastal Patrol and ORRCA; these organizations had earlier located the seal off Kiama. ORRCA reported that the seal, with three polystyrene buoys and rope around its back flippers, was about five miles out to sea. The seal was moving slowly and only able to make limited dives of less than a meter deep. Another vessel had remained with the seal to monitor its behaviour. Daylight was fading and we were anxious to see the animal before dark. Ray Blackett and I boarded the ORRCA Zodiac and raced out to sea. Within minutes we saw the buoys bobbing through the water. As we approached the seal raised its head, then dived. We'd lost it. Then from another boat came the call 'Over there!' We turned, and there was the seal, just a few metres away. Ray lunged toward the buoys and rope but missed. We swerved, turned, and saw the seal swimming toward another boat. We caught up with it, and again Ray lunged. This time he got hold of the rope. He struggled to keep his grip while I started to cut through the entanglement. Suddenly the seal flung itself around and made a lunge at Ray's hand holding the rope. It missed the hand but found the Zodiac. There was that inevitable hissing sound as the front of the Zodiac collapsed. Another Zodiac with Col Brown and Matt Davis moved in to replace us. They had one successful hook up, and cut away a small section of entanglement. Again the seal lunged. Again it struck the Zodiac. Again that hissing sound. We called it a day. Seal two, rescuers nil. When we returned to shore plans were made to continue the rescue the following day. A replacement Zodiac was to be fetched from Sydney. While that task was under way, an early morning flight would search offshore for signs of the seal. Day 3 Pete Edwards drew the short straw for the search by plane and he took off in fine weather. However despite an extensive search the seal and its cumbersome buoys weren't sighted, and the plane turned back to shore. It was then Pete spotted the animal heading south toward Jervis Bay. As soon as we had Pete's report of the location, our crew, with a brand new Zodiac, headed for the Naval base at Jervis Bay. There we met up with a Naval boat which led us out through the huge swell generated by a bombora. As we rounded the headland, we saw another Naval vessel with the rest of our crew from Garigal. A short way off the seal was resting on the surface. We slowly moved toward the animal. Suddenly there were seals all around. Heads popping up everywhere and, as we neared the cliff, we could see even more seals in a cave. We kept following 'our' seal which was heading toward a submerged rock. We had to change course, to come about. So did the seal. Then, with its twenty or so friends, it turned and headed toward the cave. We followed. 'Watch out they don't mistake us for an island and jump in our boat!' When we were close enough Ray lunged and got a firm hold on the trailing rope. Matt started to cut the rope. Then Ray yelled 'Watch out! The seal is turning.' As Matt reeled back I leant in front of him with a metal garbage bin lid to protect his hand. The seal lunged at the lid, puncturing it right through! We re-positioned the boat and Matt began to cut more rope. The seal swung round and hit the Zodiac. Again, that hissing sound. We called the Naval vessel closer, and asked other members of our team to try the disentanglement from the back of that boat. Dave Brown managed to secure a hold on the ropes around the seal's hind flippers and, using a parachute knife, slowly cut the entanglement away from the seal. Finally, the seal was free. We climbed on board the Naval vessel, tied our deflated Zodiac to its side, and prepared to return to shore. It was then we noticed that about thirty seals had approached us. They were on their sides with flippers raised. Were they saying thanks, or saluting the Navy? |
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| Last Updated ( Sunday, 03 June 2007 ) |
