A man did not hesitate to jump into the water to rescue a whale trapped in a lobster trap off the coast of San Diego, and the whale’s surprising return to thank its savior moved everyone.
For Matt Capron and five friends fishing off the California coast, the 81.6 kg bluefin tuna they caught that day was impressive, but it was not the event they would remember for years to come.
An even more special occurrence took place during that trip, which Matt Capron and his friends would never forget.
California angler jumps into the water to rescue a whale trapped in a lobster trap.
Matt Capron and his friends were fishing about 161 km off the Point Loma coast, in an area known as Tanner Banks. They encountered a young whale trapped in a lobster trap, with the line wrapped around its tail about six or seven times.
Matt Capron stated: “The whale was about 1.2 to over 2 meters long. The line from the lobster trap was wrapped around the whale’s tail about 6 or 7 times.”
The man did not hesitate; almost immediately, he jumped into the water, using a small knife to cut each loop of the line, one by one, until the whale was freed. “I was very happy to be part of the rescue process and to help the whale. Going into the water and swimming with the whale is a rare opportunity in life,” Matt Capron shared.
The whale returns to thank its rescuer.
However, the scene after the rescue truly surprised Matt Capron and his friends. At first, after being freed from the line, the whale immediately swam away. But just a few minutes later, it returned, swimming towards the boat, a gesture that everyone understood as the whale wanting to express its gratitude.
Matt Capron said: “We were so lucky to encounter the whale and to rescue it. Honestly, this is probably one of the highlights of my life.”
