Orca got stuck and cried for hours. When rescuers arrived, something incredible happens

They kept their distance initially to avoid alarming her, which could have caused her to thrash and injure herself further. The truth was, attempting to lift or drag her off the barnacle-encrusted rocks risked serious harm, as the sharp edges could slice her skin. She was already bleeding slightly from her pectoral fin and tail.

When Sarah and Tom arrived, Mark learned that DFW experts, James Carter and Lisa Morgan, had advised via satellite phone to keep the orca wet and cool until the tide rose again, allowing her to free herself. But the tide wouldn’t return for another eight hours, launching a grueling rescue effort.

The orca was visibly nervous about the humans’ presence, her rapid, shallow breathing signaling her distress under the weight of gravity.

Mark cleverly rigged a makeshift water pump using a hose and duct tape, positioning himself on the far side of the outcrop to operate it while Tom directed the stream to douse the orca with refreshing seawater. The rescuers soaked bedsheets in seawater and gently draped them over her body.

As they worked, they noticed her cries softening and her breathing steadying, a sign she was beginning to trust the humans comforting her while her pod could only linger in nearby waters, calling out.

The team rotated duties, pumping seawater over the orca and swapping out the sheets for freshly soaked ones.

They saw her dorsal fin drying out and used a pillowcase from Mark’s boat, drenched in seawater, to cover it. Fortunately, the morning had been cloudy, but by noon, the sun broke through, intensifying the heat.