WHALE NURSE - PLASTIC PREGNANCY
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The adventures of John Storm and the Elizabeth Swann. John Storm is an ocean adventurer and conservationist. The Elizabeth Swann is a fast solar powered boat. During a race around the world, news of the sinking of a pirate whaling ship reaches John Storm and his mate Dan Hawk. They decide to abandon the race and try and save the whale.
(Original Book Chapter 31) – Whale Nurse - 100 N, 1650 E
MEDICAL SOS <<<
Mercifully, the sea remained calm enough for John and Suki to undertake several bounce dives. Suki took samples of tissue and blood underwater, carefully filling sample bottles. John was treading water on the surface having just come up to get his bearings. He boarded the Elizabeth Swan, nimbly leaping out of the water and was half way up the steps, when
Suki appeared where he had been in a froth of bubbles. John started back down the steps to help Suki onto the diving platform.
"Indeed, I have," said John and Dan together.
"But have you heard of the Essex?"
"No." John and Dan both looked puzzled and curious, Suki's invitation to continue.
"The
Essex was a three-masted ship made from white oak, known for its
strength. It measured 87 feet and weighed 240 tons. There were 21 men on
board. The captain was George Pollard, Junior.
"Is that big" said Dan.
"
A typical male is no bigger than 65 feet."
Dan and John nodded, urging Suki on.
"Is
this true?" said John.
"According to the ASD, this whale is malnourished. Not only that, she's toxified. We need to flush out her system."
"How
do we do that," John said, "I think I saw a plastic bag, or
something, caught in her baleen plates."
"Well, if we were in territorial waters, we could be prosecuted for feeding the wildlife."
While all this was going on, Dan had rigged an inspection camera to a long pole. "Can we feed this to her stomach?"
"Wow, that's the longest endoscope I've seen," exclaimed Suki. "We can try. It had better be John. She trusts him for some reason." Suki laughed.
"No way." "Yes way," said Suki, no longer laughing.
John put his thinking cap on again. Why had they bothered with a marine biologist if he was going to perform this operation. He was not happy, and somewhat apprehensive.
"Okay, we'll tether the whale to the Swan. Nice and easy. Dan..."
"Yes," said Dan.
"You'll help me, while Suki calms the whale and prepares a shot of nutrients. Better prepare some for me too."
John and Dan rigged up two tethers, one for each flipper. It was hard work, but they managed to secure the whale.
The sea was obligingly calm.
John got into the water and pulled on the lips of the whale, who then opened her mouth. Speaking to the whale, he gently fed the pole down the whale's throat into her stomach.
Suki was watching on a laptop screen as the make-shift endoscope travelled down Kulo's throat, then almost screamed. "Crikey! Her stomach is full of plastic. Come back out."
John carefully retracted the pole, closed the whale's mouth and swam to her left flipper, to speak to her where she could see him. The whale moaned. I would too thought John.
John went back up. "Dan, can you rig something like a pump? I'll stay with the whale."
Dan looked at Suki for help.
"Okay, this is a world first as far as I know. We have no option but to try a gastric lavage."
"A gastric what?" said Dan.
"We need a soft big-bore tube," said Suki. "We will pump seawater into the whale's stomach, then reverse the flow and irrigate using low level suction. Do we have a pump and some tubing?"
Dan nodded.
"It works by inserting a flexible tube through the mouth, down the esophagus and into the stomach. We can pump seawater into the stomach, and then remove the contents by low-level suction, taking out the contents of the stomach along with the liquid. The process is repeated until whatever needs to be removed comes out. I'm not sure if this will work with those bags I've just seen. You're not really having anything "pumped" out of your stomach, it's more like a washing or a flush that rinses out the contents of the stomach."
"I'm on it, said Dan. How about you mix up some food for the whale."
Suki rummaged through the stores cupboards, emptying out anything she thought the whale might gain from.
Dan borrowed a hose from the Swann's hull cleaning system. It was soft and could be made steer-able. He attached the inspection camera and connected the other end of the tube to a reversible large impellor pump, again borrowed from the bilges. He carried the assembly to the diving platform, and lowered the suction pipe into the sea.
"I'm ready Suki," Dan shouted up the gangway.
Suki was just finishing blending a large carboy of nutrients. She put a lid on the container and joined Dan.
Dan pulled on John's rope to gain his attention. John surfaced. "No rush, I'm freezing down there doing nothing is all."
Suki turned to Dan, "does he always whinge like this?"
Dan passed John his creation. Suki checked the camera was giving her a picture and gave a thumbs up.
"Okay John, good to go."
John parted Kulo's lips again and the giant whale opened her mouth 20 centimeters. Suki clapped.
"Ever thought of joining the circus."
"Pay no attention," said John to Kulo, "We just need your help for a few minutes."
Kulo snorted, showering them all.
"Steady girl." John inserted the tube, pushing ever so carefully. It was possible to steer by twisting the tube. Suki was shouting instructions, "left, no right. Okay, down a bit. Push harder."
"Will she be like this on your first date skip." John and Suki ignored the remarks.
Then Suki shouted, "pump Dan."
Dan switched on the pump. It bubbled for a second or two, then Suki could see water swirling the plastic in her stomach on her computer screen.
"Quick Dan, reverse the flow."
Dan switched the pump to suction, when plastic came out in sizeable chunks, going through a sieve, back into the sea. They waited a good few minutes.
John calmed Kulo, who could feel some strange sensations in her stomach, but knew that with John holding the tube in her mouth, all was well. It tickled.
"Hold on a minute," said Suki, as she waited for the swirl to stop to see what they'd achieved - and it was looking better. The sieve had about 10 kilograms of solids in it.
"Okay Dan, pump again." Both men smiled. Dan quickly switched to pump seawater in. Kulo slapped her tailfin at the rumbling sensation.
"Reverse thrust," said Suki. The solids were pouring out. Twenty, twenty-five, thirty-five kilograms.
"Okay, stop." They waited while the swirling stopped. "She's clear I think."
Dan took a moment to look at the screen. Indeed, the chamber that was Kulo's stomach seemed to be clear of plastic.
Suki then carried the carboy down to the diving platform. "Pump this mix in will you Dan."
John had been in the water for an hour and a half. "Get a move on you two."
Dan put the intake strainer into the carboy and switched on. A few minutes later, the carboy was empty.
"John, you can withdraw the tube now, Dan shouted." This time Suki smiled.
John slowly pulled Dan's rig out of the whale and closed her mouth. Kulo simulated a laugh by moving her mouth up and down.
"Suki, do whales have a sense of humour?"
"This one seems to. That mix will hold her for a while, but we are going to need a whole lot more supplies. I hope your contact Steve, is a really good friend."
"Mostly. We'll leave Kulo tethered for now, and tow her. We'd better get a move on or those pirates will be on to us."
STORM
CLOUDS >>>
GRAPHIC NOVEL
The graphic novel translation omits many of the above chapters (in grey) entirely, and condenses others, aiming for an exciting visual read.
This story is a modern Moby Dick, the twist being that there is a happy ending for everyone involved with the $Billion Dollar Whale, even the whalers. Herman Melville would have approved.
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