Whale carcass completely removed from Encinitas beach

The carcass of a deceased whale that washed up on Encinitas’ Grandview Beach over the weekend was completely removed by Monday morning.

An attempt to remove the carcass, suspected of being that of a whale given the name “Wally the Whale” by commenters online and has been slowly drifting south from Los Angeles County for a few weeks, was made over the weekend, but the whale’s size (approximately 45 feet and 44,000 pounds), tidal conditions and equipment issues extended the process.

Removal of the carcass was done by separating the carcass into four pieces before loading them into dumpsters to take them to the Miramar landfill in San Diego. The approach, which is supported by National Marine Fisheries officials, was the only feasible option as towing the carcass far out to sea would be nearly impossible after the beaching.

“An Encinitas Lifeguard crew and a contract removal company recently completed the swift and safe removal of the whale carcass,” said Encinitas Fire Department Acting Deputy Chief Jon Blumeyer. “In addition to removing the carcass, we’ll be ensuring the beach is clean and safe to be enjoyed by the community and visitors.”

Residual odor may linger for a day or more after the completed cleanup until the tide fully flushes the area where the carcass was beached.

-Submitted press release