Final update: The beach is clean but remains closed due to whale carcass fat pieces that still need to be cleared and generally smelly conditions. Roads Dept will send a high pressure truck to help clean the ramp and area where skips were and we await a final debrief from aquatic safety and other departments.
UPDATE: Wednesday 31 October – Heave Ho! No luck with yet – waiting for a bigger tractor to help pull the whale into the beach.
UPDATE: Wednesday 31 October –The whale carcass is still floating just off the beach. EThekwini Municipality parks department are on the beach with ropes and the hope is that the calmer sea and low tide will make it easier to remove this morning. View image below:
UPDATE: Tuesday 30 October – Just after 16h30 attempts to bring the whale carcass on to the beach were abandoned. Authorities will assess the situation tomorrow and if needed will bring in chains to try and pull the 4 tonne whale out of the sea. A hard day of massive effort – let’s see what nature does tonight.
UPDATE: Tuesday 30 October – Dealing with the whale carcass is not an easy job! The Sharks board, and municipality are working with equipments from the Umhlanga Ski Boat Clubto try and hook it out the sea so it can be cut up and disposed of. Low tide will make the process a little easier. View video below:
UPDATE: Tuesday 30 October – It is no easy task trying to get the whale carcass out of the sea. The KZN – Sharks Board – Umhlanga, municipality and the Umhlanga Ski Boat Club are trying to secure the carcass and drag it on shore for cutting up and disposal. The low tide should make it a little easier. View video below:
UPDATE: Tuesday 30 October – The whale carcass has moved just off shore towards the lighthouse. The UIP continues to monitor the situation, feeding back to the municipality and the sharks board. Images below:
UPDATE Monday 29 October -: On the evening of Monday the 29th of October, the whale carcass that was at Peace Cottage washed under the pier. It is badly decomposed and does smell. There was very little that could be done by the UIP during the night, however the UIP is pushing the municipality and sharks board for their early morning assistance in dealing with it. Images below:
Monday 29 October – Please note that a badly decomposed whale has washed up near Peace Cottage (north of the oHlanga River) with the chum from the animal, resulting in a BATHING BAN on uMhlanga beaches. As soon as the water has cleared, the beaches will be reopened. Images below:
