VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Rudee tours in Virginia Beach strive to help passengers get an up close and personal look at some of the world's largest mammal—whales.
On Monday, however, many beachgoers got a different sort of up-close look at a north Atlantic Right whale washed up on shores near Virginia Beach.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released a report Wednesday, stating the cause of death of the 20-year-old 43-foot whale was blunt force trauma from a passing vessel.
At this point, NOAA hasn't determined what sort of ship is responsible, but in the past large ships like naval or merchant ships, have been blamed due to their size and sonar.
Former active-duty Naval Officer Christy Cowan said she's had experience behind the wheel of a ship. While ships weren't the culprit in this recent case, she acknowledges collisions have happened before but need to be reported.
In the last 20 years, Cowan said crews have been more diligent about looking for sealife above water and below.
"We have mitigation measures in place that all of the bridge watch standards are trained on, and they all know to maintain a minimum of 500 yards from any whale that they see," said Cowan.
Cowan said the Navy has also been mindful of how they use sonar.
"If they're conducting sonar operations there's an even further distance that they watch for and they shut down sonar," said Cowan.
Whale tours operating in the 757 also have a set of rules.
They have to keep a distance as well, but sometimes it's the whale that gets too close.
"We will have times when the humpback will come over and they'll do what's call mug the boat, so they'll come underneath us and all around us and we just sit still we have the engines in neutral we aren't moving until they decide to move along," said Kristen with Rudee tours.
Passenger Jim Dailey and his wife were determined to see a whale on Thursday's tour. Jim told news 3 that the sight of the injured right whale was unsettling.
"It's heartbreaking especially since I haven't ever seen one so to see one then having it be passed away it's heartbreaking," said Dailey.
Dailey believes part of the problem is human-related and like other people, he wonders what needs to change to stop frequent beaching.
NOAA told News 3 that since last year NOAA fisheries have brought up proposed changes to speed regulations of vessels with lengths of 35 to 65 feet.
Dailey said with these recent whale deaths, perhaps something does need to change.
"Not a lot of people get to see whales in person and if something doesn't change, a lot more won't either," says Dailey.
