| Submit your comments on this article |
| -Short Attention Span Theater- |
| Has anyone seen Michael Moore recently?... |
| 2006-02-07 |
| ... I'm a wee bit worried for his well-being... Rotting whale giving off giant smell Dave Mark A 10-TONNE sperm whale which beached off Spurn Point is expected to stay in the remote spot where it died for weeks to come – and is already starting to decompose. Yesterday it remained unclear which authority was responsible for disposing of the 30ft carcass, and the Receiver of Wrecks was officially informed. It is now thought that regardless of who has responsibility for the grim task, disposal teams will be unable to move it because of the position in which it beached and the size of the creature. Tony Ellis, of Humber Coastguard, said: "It couldn't have ended up in a more difficult to reach position. The rescue operation was hampered because it was so hard to get to the whale, and the same problem will arise with trying to dispose of it. "Nature is already starting to take its course and there's a bad smell coming off it and what looks like a slick of oil, and it won't be long before the seagulls will be arriving for a meal. It's just how nature does things. "If it does start to float then the authorities may be able to tow it out to sea, or take it somewhere and cut it up. Any suggestion of blowing it up is just a nonsense, as that would just spread the putrefecation. "I think it will probably be there for some considerable time, but we'll know better how to dispose of it when it has decomposed more. It isn't going to smell great for a while, that's for sure." Eddie Fell, assistant operations manager with East Riding Council, said: "The whale is currently 500 yards from the beach and is stuck on mud flats. As it poses no risk to the public, or to shipping, we have decided that a recovery operation would not be feasible at the moment. Working with the maritime and coastguard agency we are looking at all options for its removal but nothing is likely to happen before the next major tide." The sperm whale became stuck in the sands of the estuary on Saturday morning during low tide. Humber Coastguard was alerted by a passer-by who spotted a large grey shape three quarters of a mile off the coast of Kilnsea. The giant creature was in about only a foot of water, and appeared to have a large gash on one of its flanks. A rescue operation was launched by the coastguard, RNLI and British Divers' Marine Life Rescue Service, which was involved in the well-publicised operation to save a bottle-nosed whale in the Thames two weeks ago. The sperm whale, usually found in the deep water of the Atlantic – was declared dead at 3.10pm the same day. |
| Posted by:anonymous5089 |
| #5 Yes ... he's posting here as Common Sense LOL Mr. Angry.! |
| Posted by: RD 2006-02-07 18:22 |
| #4 Yes ... he's posting here as Common Sense |
| Posted by: The Angry Fliegerabwehrkanonen 2006-02-07 15:58 |
| #3 They could use dynamite, again, nothing like having past experience to ignore completely |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2006-02-07 13:53 |
| #2 I hear the Oregon Highway Division has had some sucess in removing sperm whales. (If only they could remove Mike AlMoore so easily....) |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2006-02-07 11:01 |
| #1 Unfortunately it is not Michael Moore. he is a rotting pussy whale while this one is a rotting sperm whale. |
| Posted by: JFM 2006-02-07 10:53 |