Whales' tale takes unexpected turn

Sacramento -- Just when it seemed the two whales dubbed Delta and Dawn might soon be swimming off into the sunset, their tale took a different turn Monday night.

Officials were having success encouraging the humpback whales back down the Sacramento River and on their way toward the Pacific Ocean. But then the mother and calf, which had made their way about 20 miles back down river Monday, suddenly turned around and headed upstream again, KTXL-TV in Sacramento reported.

The pair, which had traveled as far as 90 miles up the river in the past week, then started moving in circles about two miles north of the Rio Vista Bridge, a Coast Guard officer said. Boats were positioned in front of them to encourage them to turn around, but the whales appeared to have other plans.

Scientists watched closely because the route includes sloughs leading to muddy deltas that could trap the whales, who appear to have been wounded by a boat's propeller.

The two also will have to navigate through the pylons of four bridges to reach the San Francisco Bay, and will have to swim under the Golden Gate Bridge to return to the ocean.

Copyright 2007 by United Press International.