Cary Wien’s story with Doc, the dwarf sperm whale (June 2002)

A Volunteer’s Story

This story begins on a night dive at Molasses reef, Monday June 3rd 2002. While watching my six divers’ lights bounce around the nearby reef, I spotted what appeared to be a snorkeler approaching the dive boat. It actually turned out to be a commercial diver (snorkeling so I wasn’t seeing things) from a research tugboat anchored nearby. The tug is supporting a reef-rebuilding project recreating and repopulating the reef profile destroyed by the 1986 grounding of the freighter Wellwood (1986).

He introduced himself as Wil Kilmer and asked for passage to shore for himself and a colleague, as the NOAA transport boat was down and unable to pick them up. I gladly obliged and after all the divers returned, we moored along side the tug and picked up his friend and their gear. During the dive and the trip back to Port Largo canal, Wil briefed us on the efforts and progress of the restoration project, but that is a story for another time.

Wil returned to BlueWater Divers on Wednesday to express his thanks for the ride and check the dive schedule for wreck trips. While there he briefed us on the rare Dwarf Sperm whale stranding in Naples and its transport to Key Largo. It was an interesting opportunity that he couldn’t pass up and was extending his stay in Key Largo to assist in the rescue efforts. He also informed us that many volunteers would be needed to assist the whale 24 hours a day.

On Thursday June 5th 2002, my wife (Mary) and I visited the Marine Mammal Conservancy’s makeshift facility at Mile Marker 102 Overseas Highway in Key Largo and applied as volunteers. The volunteers were scheduled in 4-hour shifts to keep the whale (nicknamed “Doc”) afloat and moving. To our surprise there were many volunteers signed up and the schedule was full through late Friday night. Seeing a need for the difficult night shifts we chose to take the 3am to 7am shift on Saturday morning.

After a few short hours of sleep Friday night, we answered the alarm and geared up for our shift. We were surprised to see the facility nearly as active as it had been on our first visit. The soft hum of a generator provided lighting for the briefing and staging area as well as soft lighting for the recovery lagoon containing Doc and his current batch of lifeguards.

We were welcomed by our new friend Wil Kilmer accompanied by the Director of Husbandry for the Marine Mammal Conservancy. He gathered the oncoming shift and provided a thorough briefing on the handling of marine mammals in general, the Dwarf Sperm Whale more specifically, and the individual male we would be assisting in particular. Mary and I were assigned the first in water shift and prepared to enter the lagoon. The staff double-checked us for jewelry, untrimmed fingernails and abrasive surfaces (we wore back zippered wetsuits to decrease the chance of causing additional abrasions.

An experienced marine mammal handler accompanies all volunteer teams. We were assigned to a handler who went in first and slowly replaced his counterpart supporting Doc’s head. I went in next, walking slowly and making eye contact all the way. Doc seemed calm and comfortable as I replaced the volunteer giving support between the pectoral and dorsal fins. Mary then replaced the volunteer at the dorsal fin and the handler began leading the whale on his exercise routine: slow laps around the shallow lagoon.

Answering the breakfast call
	Squid fed through a straw

Doc seemed alert and in good spirits. His skin was smooth and much softer than I expected, seeming quite fragile and reminding me of the cautions imparted at the briefing. He often nuzzled his handler and even chirped a few sonar pings during our 2-hour swim. He required very little support but occasionally listed to starboard requiring some help to get upright. We took only one break from our leisurely stroll with Doc for a 5-minute heart rate and respiration check. Mary was enlisted to take the pulse (thanks to her nursing degree I’ll bet), and we were told that 41 is actually a very good rate for this species. We reluctantly handed Doc off to our relief crew at 5 a.m. While a dry towel was comforting, I’d have rather spent more time with Doc. We sat on the shore of that little lagoon watching our new friend continue his exercise until the shift change at 7 a.m.

The morning shift brought renewed levels of activity in camp as many volunteers returned or simply rolled out of their sleeping bags to begin the day’s tasks. First off was the morning feeding; on the menu that morning was squid soup, Doc’s favorite I was told. After breakfast Doc seemed a little pensive, I think he knew what was next on his schedule.

Mary was once again enlisted to assist with a few simple medical procedures. First was drawing blood, which was done from a vein on the centerline near his fluke. Mary was lucky enough to be spinning the blood samples in the on-site centrifuge when Doc submitted to an enema and stool sample. I can’t speak for Doc, but I sure was exhausted by this time and fell asleep in a lawn chair by the lagoon. Real life did not cooperate with this course of action and I was rudely summoned to the mid day dive trip back at BlueWater Divers. Thus ended my first night with Doc the Dwarf Sperm whale.

	Getting the blood sample
Showing his fluke for blood draw

The next several days involved much activity surrounding the attempted re-sinking of the Spiegel Grove, but I was determined to return to assist with Doc. A quick stop on Monday determined that no one had signed up for the 11pm to 3am shift Tuesday night, so I signed up for it.

Upon arriving Tuesday night the scene was more subdued than I had seen it before. I met the president of the Marine Mammal Conservancy, Robert Lingenfelser, and received my briefing directly from him. The briefing included how to support and exercise Doc without any assistance and some disheartening news about his prognosis. Due to some observed bloating of the torso area the vets speculated that Doc had a perforation somewhere in his digestive tract and had little or no chance for a recovery. Those present were noticeably more somber than at the first visit. It was now a matter of keeping him comfortable and preventing any additional injury.

Doc is 8 feet long and weighs over 350 pounds. He was sluggish and not moving much under his own power. It was quite a challenge to keep him moving and upright. We took 10 minute shifts giving ourselves frequent breaks to rest and stretch. The 4 hours passed quickly.

I will likely not see Doc again, but I will never forget him or the many caring individuals that he brought together for me to meet. Young and old, tourists and locals, professionals and laymen, we were all the same. Doc would say thank you for caring if he could. Since he can not, I will. Thank you all.

Cary Wien
BlueWater Divers of Key Largo
Info@BlueWaterDiver.net

Marine Mammal Conservancy
PO Box 1625
Key Largo FL 33037-1625
(305) 451-4774

Friday, June 14th, 2002 – Doc’s bloating had diminished some and he was not “septic” as anticipated.

Saturday, June 15th, 2002 –Marine mammal specialists arrived with portable X-ray and MRI equipment to aid in his diagnosis and treatment, but Doc’s time with us was over. His necropsy indicated that this little whale was well into his maturity and had suffered from what appeared to be severe cardiomyopathy, a condition common in deepwater species, compromising heart function.