Entangled Humpback Whale Frees Itself Near Dana Point! [Watch Video]

DANA POINT, CA — With entangled whales, the story doesn't always have a happy ending. No one knows that better than the Captain Dave's Dolphin and Whale Safari Crew. Today, it was different.

"Underwater footage taken from a Dana Point whale watching boat operated by Captain Dave's Dolphin and Whale Safari confirms that a previously entangled Humpback Whale has managed to free itself from the lines," the group stated in a press release today.

Since August, this whale was seen off of the Newport coast with a rope wrapped around its left pectoral flipper.

"Rescue attempts were unsuccessful due to the whale's distressed behavior," Captain Dave Anderson reported. "She was later seen in Morro Bay on August 10th."

By mid-September the whale was back again off the coast of Orange County.

On September 18, Ryan Lawler of Newport Coastal Adventure filmed this whale with his drone swimming with dolphins and another whale, Anderson said.

At last sighting, the female humpback whale appeared to be feeding and seemed to be free of the gear.

The disentanglement was confirmed yesterday by Tom Southern and Craig DeWitt when the whale mugged a whale watching catamaran operated by Captain Dave's Dolphin and Whale Safari off Monarch Beach.

Underwater footage obtained when the humpback whale chose to come close to the stationary vessel shows that it was free of gear.

"This is so awesome, I would never have thought this animal could free itself. I was very frustrated that we would get ready to go help it, and for a variety of reasons, had to stand down. This is such good news and we are thankful to everyone involved in the excellent documentation of this entanglement. It's a good day off the coast of Orange County," says Captain Dave Anderson.

"The biggest lesson learned is how invaluable the whale watching industry is in being the front lines for whale rescue work," says Captain Dave. This is true not only off Orange County, but in most places where whale watching exists.

Nearly 1,000 dolphins and whales worldwide die every day because of fishing gear entanglement. In 2015 57 entangled whales were reported off the coast of California according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, (NOAA). This is the second time this year that a humpback whale seen off of Dana Point has been able to free itself from entanglement. Captain Dave helped organize Orange County's first whale disentanglement group in 2008.

For twenty years Capt. Dave's Dolphin & Whale Watching Safari has offered year round, Eco-friendly, dolphin and whale watching excursions aboard unique, high-tech catamarans with exclusive features including Eye-to-Eye Underwater Viewing Pods.

Photos, from Youtube Screenshot