We are Only one Species Among Billions

Daniel Quinn

A female humpback whale had become entangled in a spider web of crab traps and lines. A fisherman spotted the stranded mammal just east of the Farallon Islands (outside the Golden Gate) and radioed for help.

Within a few hours, the rescue team arrived and determined that the whale was so badly off, the only way to save her was to dive in and untangle her…. a very dangerous proposition. One slap of the tail could kill a rescuer.

After hours of frigid, exhausting, submerged labor, the team finally freed “Betsy the Whale.”

Upon surfacing, the divers reported that Betsy swam in what seemed like joyous circles. She then came up to each diver, one at a time, gently “chest-bumping” them with her blowhole… her way of thanking them.

By all accounts, the mission was the most incredibly beautiful experience of their lives.