RYE — Crowds gathered Monday morning to witness a 45-foot humpback whale that washed onto rocks outside of Rye Harbor State Park and Foss Beach. Marine investigators quickly identified the whale as an 18-year-old female named Snow Plow.
The whale, which lay on its back, was guessed to have been dead for days before the tides pushed it to shore.
Fisherman had reported seeing the corpse floating 20 miles out at sea Sunday.
“A once in a lifetime experience!” said Rye resident Denise Levin after witnessing her first beached whale. Levin has been living in the area for almost 50 years and had never seen a whale so close.
