Whale tale captivates coast

By KATU.com Staff Published: Mar 9, 2009 at 11:11 AM PST Last Updated: Mar 9, 2009 at 11:29 AM PST
Whale tale captivates coast »Play Video

FLORENCE, Ore. -- A whale first spotted Friday fighting for its life in the surf north of Florence beached itself on Saturday near Heceta Head and the Sea Lion Caves. 

Marine biologists studied the whale Sunday for clues as to why it died. After initial guesses Friday that the whale was a humpback, then revised opinions that it was a sei whale, biologists now believe it is a 50-foot fin whale.

If you saw the whale and took photos or videos, post them to KATU.com.

A YouNews reporter helped break the news Saturday that the whale had beached itself.

Here are some still images from news footage of the scene: