It was a dramatic weekend in Heart’s Delight-Islington where a pod of white-beaked dolphins became stranded on the coast by ice pushing into Trinity Bay.

Residents, members of the local fire department, the Whale Rescue and Strandings Group and DFO all turned out to see what could be done.

The fire department came up with the idea of moving some of the animals on a sling to the other side of the government wharf where open water remained. Three of the dolphins were moved to open water at Whiteway further along the coast.

A similar stranding occurred in the same area back in 2018 where residents once again sprang into action to save the animals.

The Whale Release and Strandings Group is offering some advice to those who are aware of dolphin or whale strandings in ice. Keep crowds and dogs away to reduce stress on the animals, pour water over them, remove sharp objects from beneath the animal and never try to lift them by their flippers or flukes, face animals towards each other and use a tarp or a stretcher to move them.