Farm worker ditches surfing trip to help save stranded whales with zodiac boat

Joel Minard drove from Marrawah to Strahan with his zodiac boat, ditching a surfing trip, to offer any assistance he could with pilot whale rescue efforts. READ HIS STORY >>

• The grim reality of whale disaster aftermath
• Why do pilot whales strand and how can we stop it?

JOEL Minard drove from Marrawah to Strahan with his zodiac boat to offer any assistance he could with pilot whale rescue efforts.

About 100 paid and volunteer rescuer have been involved in the complex and large scale operation since Monday.

Mr Minard is among dozens of selfless Tasmanians who have offered whatever support they could.

Joel Minards drove from Marrawah to Strahan with his zodiac boat to offer support to rescue pilot whale rescue crews. Picture: PATRICK GEE

However, dure to the complexity of the task, only very select volunteers and rescuers have been used – most with training or expertise in a relevant field.

The South Australian farm worker has been in Tasmania for about a year and was about to make his way back home when he heard about the mass stranding event.

“My dad rang me and he said ‘have you seen the news?’, Mr Minard said.

“I was out at Marrawah surfing so I hadn’t heard about it.

“He said ‘you’d better get down there’.”

Mr Minard said he felt it was important to offer any assistance he could to the joint effort to save the hundreds of stranded whales.

He stood at the jetty on Friday in case he or his boat could be of any use and after being told his boat may become useful.