Getty Photographer Matt Cardy on a stranded fin whale that died off the St Austell coast
Getty photographer Matt Cardy photographed a fin whale that was stranded on a beach off the St Austell coast in England on August 13.
He says it was the first time for him photographing a distressed whale and a first time for most of the rescuers to have dealt with such a large mammal at 20 meters (65 ft). Fin whales are the second largest animal on the planet and an endangered species.
According to Cardy, he was listening to the 7 p.m. BBC headlines in his car when the broadcast reported news of the whale. A quick check of his satellite navigation, revealed that he was less than an hour away, so he headed to the beach – a random chance that he was so close that evening.
Below, he describes the surreal scene.
- A female fin whale opens its mouth as it lies stranded and alive on the beach at Carlyon Bay on August 13, 2012 in St Austell, England. Initially, rescuers had hoped to refloat the 65 ft fin whale, a globally endangered species and the second largest animal on the planet, but it sadly died on the beach. (Matt Cardy/Getty Images)
- A female fin whale lies stranded and alive on the beach at Carlyon Bay on August 13, 2012 in St Austell, England. (Matt Cardy/Getty Images)
- Rescuers examine a stranded fin whale that was beached at Carlyon Bay on August 13, 2012 in St Austell, England. (Matt Cardy/Getty Images)
- Rescuers examine a female fin whale that lies stranded on the beach at Carlyon Bay on August 13, 2012 in St Austell, England. (Matt Cardy/Getty Images)
- Onlookers watch as rescuers attempt to save a female fin whale, which was stranded on the beach at Carlyon Bay on August 13, 2012 in St Austell, England. (Matt Cardy/Getty Images)
- A female fin whale lies stranded on the beach at Carlyon Bay on August 13, 2012 in St Austell, England. Fin whales are globally an endangered species and the second largest animal on the planet. (Matt Cardy/Getty Images)
- The stranded whale was spotted just after 5 p.m. on August 13, 2012. Rescuers monitored the fin whale, which was stranded on the beach at Carlyon Bay. (Matt Cardy/Getty Images)
- Rescuers examine a female fin whale, which lies alive and stranded on the beach at Carlyon Bay on August 13, 2012 in St Austell, England. (Matt Cardy/Getty Images)
- Rescuers examine a female fin whale, which lies alive and stranded on the beach at Carlyon Bay on August 13, 2012 in St Austell, England. Fin whales are globally an endangered species and the second largest animal on the planet. (Matt Cardy/Getty Images)
- Rescuers examine a female fin whale, which lies alive and stranded on the beach at Carlyon Bay on August 13, 2012 in St Austell, England. (Matt Cardy/Getty Images)
- A rescuer examines a female fin whale, which lies alive and stranded on the beach at Carlyon Bay on August 13, 2012 in St Austell, England. (Matt Cardy/Getty Images)
- Rescuers examine a female fin whale, which has just died as it lies stranded on the beach at Carlyon Bay on August 13, 2012 in St Austell, England. (Matt Cardy/Getty Images)
- Rescuers attempted to save a female fin whale that died after it was stranded on the beach at Carlyon Bay on August 13, 2012 in St Austell, England. Initially, they had hoped to refloat the 65 ft fin whale. (Matt Cardy/Getty Images)
When I arrived, it was bedlam. Cars were parked everywhere and people were making their way to the beach. The whale had been reported only a few hours before and was already attracting a large crowd of onlookers. It had washed up on a private beach (unusual in the UK) and they had closed the car park. Luckily, I showed my press card and talked the security guards into letting me drive rather than walk the 30 minutes down the path to the beach. That was critical as the sun had set and the light was fading fast. As I got onto the beach, hundreds of people were lining a cordon that had been set up to give the animal some space.
The crowd were very somber and quiet. As soon as I arrived, I was told that there was little anybody could do as the animal was too sick to be helped.
I was allowed into the cordon to photograph the whale at a much nearer distance. I used a Canon 70-200mm f2.8 and a 24-105mm lens on 2x 5D Mark II’s, shifting to 3200 ISO at a 60/sec. Eventually, the animal went through what we later realized were its death throes, opening its mouth and swashing its tail. After 15 minutes or so, it settled down, and the rescuers examined it and pronounced it dead.
It was a very sad end to an event that had happened all really quickly.
—
Edited by Stokely Baksh
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