A dead gray whale was found floating near Torrey Pines State Beach the morning of March 19, San Diego Lifeguard officials confirmed.
The whale, approximately 18 feet long, was discovered floating belly up about 250 yards offshore north of La Jolla. Lifeguards confirmed the animal was dead when they reached it just before 10 a.m. The whale was then towed down the coast by lifeguards into Mission Bay and then dragged onto the west side of Fiesta Island. It then took three backhoes working together to scoop the whale carcass off the beach and into a dump truck at about 3 p.m. Thursday, March 19.