A whale of a find near Ocean Shores

An Ocean Shores Police Officer found a surprise this morning while patrolling the beaches in Ocean Shores.

According to Washington State Patrol a whale was found on the beach, approximately 4 miles north of Ocean Shores.

Coastal Shellfish Manager Dan Ayres, not the “Coastal Whale Manager”, told KXRO that the 53 foot long body is located approximately 2 miles north of the Ocean City beach approach. At this time, residents are not allowed to drive north of that approach, but they are allowed to walk to the location to watch as scientists conduct a necropsy on the whale.

At this time, the cause of death and exact species of the whale are unknown. It is a baleen whale, which leads WDFW to assume the genus fin, sei, or blue, and not a grey whale.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is on scene and samples will be taken to discover cause of death.

Photo from Ocean Shores Police Officer Glanz