The ties that bind
This past week saw a humpback whale near Destruction Island that had been entangled in line from crab pots. Rescuers with the Cascadia Research Collective, based in Olympia, attempted to free the whale from the nylon ropes that had been wrapped around it and were able to get some of the lines cut off, but they were unable to get the last one that remained coiled around its tail.
The whale is gone now and, as far as we know, it’s still pulling the last crab pot with it. The rescue team was able to affix a radio transmitter to the whale on Thursday and when they get a signal, they’ll make another attempt to check the whale’s condition. It may have been able to get loose from the line or it might still be pulling its trailer… difficult to say.
I suppose there are parallels I could draw from this situation to other, more human, predicaments. Almost anything can be used as a metaphor, and it can often be instructive to do so. For now, however, I just hope the kid gets free and stays out of trouble.
About Ken Campbell
New Release
A story of sea kayaking and science on the rugged coast of Alaska. Coming – Spring 2014.
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