A dead whale has washed ashore at St Mary’s Bay near Dymchurch. The animal is about 10 metres long and thought to be a minke. The animal was discovered yesterday afternoon by beachgoers.
It has been advised that people do not venture out to the animal due to the deep mud (otherwise known as quicksand) between the animal and the shoreline.
Folkestone and Hythe District Council now have the task of removing the body from the beach. Some have blamed the poor water conditions for the death of the animal, although it could have died for any number of reasons.
St. Marys Bay was closed to swimmers for 2023, after the quality of the seawater deteriorated in recent years and monitoring by the Environment Agency (EA) revealed heightened traces of intestinal enterococci, which is found in faecal matter.
The EA has placed signs in the area advising visitors not to swim in the sea and they have confirmed that these will remain in place for the 2023 bathing season.
