Salt Spring Island couple see ‘amazing’ orca rescue

Entangled whale was ‘dancing for joy’ after release

Suzanne Ambers and Keith Simpson were heading out on their boat off the northwest part of Salt Spring Island when they saw an orca in distress.

“It wasn’t travelling, just moving back and forth and down,” Ambers said.

That’s when she and her husband, who is a marine biologist, realized that the transient orca was entangled in the mooring line of some commercial prawn traps.

They called 911, which directed them to Fisheries and Oceans Canada. The federal department then sent out a team that specializes in marine mammal rescue.

Ambers said they were told it would take 90 minutes for the rescue crews to get there. They were asked to monitor the orca and keep other people away from the animal.

“These guys were amazing,” Ambers said. “They had no ego and were so professional. They called us every 10 minutes while they were travelling to check on the whale.”

She said she was impressed by how fast the two men freed the whale using tools to cut the nets.

After the whale was free, she said, it breached high in the air before taking off “almost to show us how happy he was.”

“Oh my God, it was such a heartfelt moment, watching that whale take off. There he was dancing for joy,” Ambers said.

“I really want people to know how amazing these [mammal rescue] guys were that saved the whale. After everything they did, they were thanking us. They were so friendly and grateful.”

April Penney, a spokeswoman for Ocean Wise, said if people see a cetacean in distress they should call the DFO’s B.C. Marine Mammal Response Network at 1-800-465-4336.

For cetaceans not in distress, Ocean Wise encourages people to report sightings its B.C. Cetacean Sighting Network.

Penney noted that it is also harbour seal pupping season.

Anyone who sees a stranded seal pup is asked to report it to Vancouver Aquarium’s Marine Mammal Rescue Centre at 604-258-SEAL (7325).