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Earlier today, 09:00 AM, IMMRAC team was alerted to a presence of a whale, a mile and a half off Herzliya Marina. Upon arrival, the ca 13 m long whale was spotted and followed for two hours, southward along the coast. The whale made a continuous series of short (3-5 minute) dives occasionally displaying its flukes. Size, coloration and a distinct dorsal hump with successive small tubercles along the dorsal aspect of the tail stock pointed to it being a sperm whale and excitement was high, it being the first occasion when this species was sighted by IMMRAC staff. Some features being "wrong" with the head and the blow-hole were dismissed and the first report to the Media upon return to shore was of a sperm whale.
Closer inspection of the photographs back home showed quite a lot of head in front of an elevated blowhole, flukes unlike those of a sperm whale, unwrinkled and white-patched skin, all leading to the incredible but inescapable conclusion that it was indeed a grey whale!
It was last spotted off Jaffa, still in a southward direction.
Comments and suggestions of how it got here and what are his chances of surviving would be more than welcome.
Aviad Scheinin Dan Kerem
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