U.S. Coast Guard boat shown speeding over whales off California
A Southern California-based photographer on Thursday shared footage showing a U.S Coast Guard boat speeding over two gray whales off Laguna Beach.
Mark Girardeau, who has spent countless hours on marine mammal excursions off Orange County, shared the footage to illustrate that vessels of all types pose a threat to whales that feed or migrate in California waters.
'One of the challenges gray whales face is boat traffic, especially along the California coast where there is no shortage of cargo ships, oil tankers, personal yachts, ferries, jet skiers, search & rescue operations, etc.,' Girardeau stated via Instagram. 'All which are not actively watching for whales.'
Girardeau explained that in this case, which he described as a close call, the Coast Guard vessel did not strike either of the whales, one of which can be seen diving to avoid being struck.
The Coast Guard crew, Girardeau added, had been searching for a swimmer who had been pulled to sea by a current and did not survive. It's likely that the crew did not even see the whales.
Girardeau told FTW Outdoors that he captured the footage in 2019 with a drone that he piloted from shore.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: U.S. Coast Guard boat shown speeding over whales off California
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Black America Web
27 minutes ago
- Black America Web
Broadway's Patti LuPone Apologizes For Shading Black Actresses & Calling Kecia Lewis A 'B-tch' As Social Media Roasts Her
Broadway beef is not something you generally hear about outside of New York City theater circles, but this week it went viral after comments made by theater icon Patti LuPone. In a interview with The New Yorker, just before her guest appearance on the third season of HBO Max' And Just LIke That, LuPone shared her opinion about Audra McDonald, a four-time Tony Award winner currently onstage in the Broadway revival of Gypsy. LuPone, a three-time Tony winner best known for her role as Eva Perón in Evita, also commented on actress Kecia Lewis, a Tony winner for Hell's Kitchen, leading observers to wonder just what her problem was with the actresses. Turns out there's some backstory with Lewis. When the 76-year-old actress was starring in a play called The Roommate with Mia Farrow, she complained that the sound cues from Hell's Kitchen, showing in the neighboring theater, were bleeding through their shared wall. After the production adjusted the sound, LuPone sent flowers to the show and cast. That prompted Lewis to share in an IG post that she considered LuPone's request to be a 'microaggression' and accused her of bullying. When asked about it in The New Yorker piece, LuPone said, 'Here's the problem. She calls herself a veteran? Let's find out how many Broadway shows Kecia Lewis has done, because she doesn't know what the f-ck she's talking about,' she said. 'She's done seven. I've done thirty-one. Don't call yourself a vet, bitch.' (Per the article, Lewis has ten credits, LuPone has 30). McDonald caught a stray apparently for liking Lewis' post and adding emojis in agreement. That prompted LuPone to say, 'And I thought, 'You should know better.' That's typical of Audra. She's not a friend.' In a CBS This Morning interview with Gayle King, McDonald seemed confused since it doesn't appear she ever thought they were friends. When she was asked about any 'beef' with LuPone, McDonald said that she hadn't seen or spoken to her in over a decade. View this post on Instagram A post shared by CBS Mornings (@cbsmornings) But it didn't end there – when asked how LuPone felt about McDonald's performance as Momma Rose, the lead character in Gypsy, which LuPone also won a Tony for, The New Yorker article reports she sat in silence, then looked out the window and said, 'What a wonderful day.' McDonald is the first Black actress to play the role on Broadway. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Patti LuPone (@pattilupone) But now, after the backlash, LuPone has had a change of heart. She apologized for her remarks on social media, saying, 'I regret my flippant and emotional responses during this interview, which were inappropriate, and I am devastated that my behavior has offended others and has run counter to what we hold dear in this community,' she said in her post. 'I hope to have the chance to speak to Audra and Kecia personally to offer my sincere apologies.' The apology came after an open letter signed by 600 Broadway stars and insiders asking that LuPone be disinvited from the upcoming Tony Awards, saying her comments were a 'blatant act of racialized disrespect.' They also characterized her comments about McDonald as the opposite of the values of the theater community. 'To publicly attack a woman who has contributed to this art form with such excellence, leadership, and grace — and to discredit the legacy of Audra McDonald, the most nominated and awarded performer in Tony Award history — is not simply a personal offense,' the letter said. 'It is a public affront to the values of collaboration, equity, and mutual respect that our theater community claims to uphold.' LuPone agreed, saying, 'From middle school drama clubs to professional stages, theatre has always been about lifting each other up and welcoming those who feel they don't belong anywhere else. I made a mistake, I take full responsibility for it, and I am committed to making this right. Our entire theatre community deserves better.' Apology or not, social media is roasting her. See the reactions below. Broadway's Patti LuPone Apologizes For Shading Black Actresses & Calling Kecia Lewis A 'B-tch' As Social Media Roasts Her was originally published on Patti LuPone had to wait 28 years for her second Tony. Meanwhile, Nathan Lane once introduced Audra McDonald as 'the woman who wins a Tony every time she leaves her house.' — Jeremy Fassler (@J_fassler) May 27, 2025 i hate patti lupone and have for years. she plays the victim in every scenario, when in actuality, she is the one who is choosing to make enemies with kind, talented people. she's not a diva or an icon, she's just a rude old lady who thinks she's gods gift to theatre. — Maddie (@MaddieTillem) May 26, 2025 Finally caught up on the Patti Lupone drama and let me just say.. you'd never see Bernadette Peters saying some fuckass bullshit. Bernadette is MY bway diva — S🤍 (@HeavyMtlHookr) May 28, 2025 not to turn this into a joke but Patti LuPone apologizing for something is actually an apocalypse indicator — Rod (@bitchfromkalos) May 31, 2025 Black America Web Featured Video CLOSE
Yahoo
31 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Katie Thurston Gives Health Update Amid Cancer Battle
Katie Thurston has been sharing new updates about her health as she battles advanced breast cancer. As she continues treatment for stage four breast cancer, Thurston recently opened up about the physical and emotional challenges she is facing. Katie Thurston, the former Bachelorette, has been openly sharing her ongoing battle with cancer since her diagnosis in February 2025. Initially diagnosed with stage three breast cancer, her illness has since advanced to stage four. In a recent Instagram video, Thurston revealed some of the challenging side effects she has been dealing with, including significant memory loss. Reflecting on one of the incidents, she shared, 'Going through customs and them being like, 'Where are you coming from?' And I looked at him and I was like, 'I don't remember. I don't remember.'' Thurston also talked about a recent argument with her husband, Jeff Arcuri. She explained how she couldn't remember the cause of their argument. However, she was certain it had happened before. Despite the challenges, the couple is able to laugh at these confusing moments. In addition to memory issues, Thurston revealed that her hair is falling out in large clumps. After completing two months of medication, she now faces important decisions regarding her liver health. She has chosen to undergo Histotripsy, a non-invasive treatment for liver tumors. The reality TV star added, 'I am optimistic about medical advancements in the future. Fingers crossed as a stage 4 girly.' Last month, Thurston went through medically induced menopause. However, the hormone-suppressing medication didn't work as planned. She shared that if the new medication also fails, she may need to have her ovaries removed. The reality TV star concluded, 'I'm just going to end this because I want it just to be my truth, I guess. Anyway, happy Sunday.' Originally reported by Disheeta Maheshwari on ComingSoon. The post Katie Thurston Gives Health Update Amid Cancer Battle appeared first on Mandatory.
Yahoo
32 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Westfield Police Department to acquire new K-9 unit, handler needed
WESTFIELD — With the Westfield Police Department planning on acquiring a new K-9 unit in late summer, four officers currently on the force are competing to become its handler. 'You've got to run with the dogs,' police Capt. Steve Dickinson said on the importance of the unit's next handler being in excellent shape. To learn if the candidates can meet the physical fitness requirements, they performed the Cooper Test Monday morning at the Roots Athletic Complex. The test is designed to provide a simple way to assess an individual's cardiovascular. 'When the dog is running through the woods during a search, they've got to be able to stay with them the whole time,' Dickinson said about the handler. The department hasn't had a K-9 unit for several years, but starting in 2000, it acquired Duke, who eventually retired and was replaced by Falco, Mako, and Ares. That would change when Jerome Pitoniak was named the department's chief in October 2023. During his interview in front of the Police Commission, Pitoniak, responding to a question about the new initiatives for the department if appointed, acquiring a K-9 unit was one of his goals. With Pitoniak appointed, police Detective Christopher Coach applied to The Hometown Foundation Inc., a Connecticut-based nonprofit that raises money for animal welfare, providing assistance to individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities, helping those affected major illnesses, providing assistance for military service members and their families, and helping emergency response personnel, which includes providing grants to police departments to acquire K-9 units. Coach said the foundation donated $14,500 for the purchase of a new unit, a GPS tracking collar, and a bullet- and stab-proof vest. He wanted to thank the foundation, including Meghan Sullivan. 'She was great to work with. We're grateful for their support,' Coach said. Coach said one of the reasons the department qualified for the grant was because many of the departments in neighboring towns only have access to State Police K-9 units. The Southwick Police Department has a K-9 unit, but other towns like Montgomery, Russell, Southampton and Granville don't. Those units, including Southwick's, are not always immediately available, and time, especially when searching for suspect that has run from the scene of a crime or for an elderly person with dementia that has wandered away from home, becomes important, Dickinson said. 'Those minutes matter,' he said. How the dog is trained determines what types of roles it will have. Dickinson said the department is planning on using the unit primarily for searching, but it will also used for narcotics detection and general patrol duty. The training is provided by the Hampden County Sheriff's Office, Coach said. It has two certified trainers, and the service is offered at no charge to the city. The first step, however, is to find the right officer. That officer will spend a significant amount of time during the training process, which can take months, and then when on duty. Off duty, the unit usually goes home with its handler. Read the original article on MassLive.
