Whales Returned to Ocean 8 Months After Beaching

Three frolicsome young pilot whales saved from a suicidal beaching were hoisted into the ocean from the deck of a ship today after being nursed back to health for eight months in an aquarium pool.

Researchers said they could recall no other such effort to rescue, raise and return three whales to the sea.

Scientists hope the 2-year-old, 1,000-pound marine mammals join up with a herd, or pod, of other pilot whales in the area.

The whales, dubbed Notch, Big Brute and Baby, were released about 115 miles from Boston’s New England Aquarium, whose scientists cared for the whales.

The three males quickly joined a group of dolphins and began cavorting, swimming on their backs and corkscrewing through the water, aquarium officials said.

A plan to gently return the whales to the ocean and allow them to acclimate themselves in a 22-foot-square, 6 1/2-foot-deep floating pen was overridden by a wave.

Notch was being lowered from the deck of the 187-foot Albatross IV into the sea in a basket when the basket was washed into the water outside the pen.

He appeared unharmed and swam beside the research vessel while it cruised slowly over 4- to 5-foot waves.

A short while later, Baby and Big Brute were lifted into the floating pen, then quickly released into the open water. They immediately linked up with Notch, researchers said.