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Spyderco Whale Rescue Blade… Rescues Whale

May 19, 2016

Yesterday, in the waters of Bodega Bay, California, a migrating Humpback whale tangled in fishing line was freed thanks to an exceptional Spyderco blade, a specially-trained rescue crew, and a watchful fisherman.

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Normally, Humpback migration and crab fishing don’t overlap, but a late start to the season this year meant that crab pot lines were still in the water when Humpback whales began appearing off the Pacific coast. A whale was spotted by crab fisherman Calder Deyerle and his 5-year old son Miles, who reported ropes and buoys trailing behind the giant mammal, trapping it just under the water’s surface and cutting into its fins.

Soon a wildlife rescue team arrived, bringing with it a Spyderco Whale Rescue Blade. The 10-inch serrated, recurved blade is designed to be mounted at the end of a 10′ pole, and features a blunted, round tip to keep from puncturing the animal in choppy water. The rescue team maneuvered their small inflatable rafts within range of the entangled mammal and used the tool to methodically cut through the nets and lines until the whale was freed.

This isn’t the first time fishermen used a Spyderco knife to free wildlife from nets. Last April, a duck struggling to stay afloat was saved by a samaritan wielding a Lil’ Matriarch. He used his Reverse S shaped blade to safely cut the net that bound the trapped creature.

Originally, the Whale Rescue Blades were made in extremely limited numbers and given away to conservation and rescue groups around the world. In 2012, demand for the specialized tool from military special operations units pressed Spyderco to put it into regular production. Today the blade is made from corrosion-proof H1 steel and is featured in Spyderco’s catalog.

Knife featured in image: Spyderco Snap-It Salt

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