Another Whale Makes Entry to Inland Waters

Another whale wandered into San Francisco Bay on Friday, confounding biologists who were preparing a noisy weekend offensive to push Humphrey, the wayward 40-ton humpback whale, out to sea.

The second animal, identified by marine biologists as a gray whale, was spotted Friday morning, just inside the Golden Gate Bridge, and later it ventured into the bay as far as Alcatraz Island. But it turned around late Friday and swam back out into the Pacific.

Gray whales, which swim close to shore, are sometimes spotted in San Francisco Bay en route between Alaska and Hawaii or Mexico.

Humphrey, a considerably rarer humpback, spent his 22nd day in inland waters swimming in the San Joaquin River, near channels and sloughs that connect that river to the Sacramento River before it heads to the bay. The whale was near Antioch, about 35 miles from the Pacific Ocean.

The new plan to drive the humpback whale seaward was announced Thursday after a meeting of 21 marine biologists and government officials from throughout North America.

The rescuers will try Saturday to tag Humphrey with a radio transmitter, shot into his skin by a crossbow, so they can track him at night.

Then on Sunday, officials plan to use 20 boats with six-foot black metal pipes suspended in the water and banged with hammers, and 13 boats to form a backup blocking line, including three Army landing craft.

The scientists hope to keep the whale from retreating upstream at night by forming a line of boats, with crews banging pipes and shooting air guns to form a sonic barrier and keep Humphrey heading seaward.