Rockport will bury whale carcass after Sandy moves it down coast

By Sarah N. Mattero, Globe Correspondent

The town of Rockport has decided to lay a dead finback whale to rest after Hurricane Sandy helped it drift farther down the coast.

Now that the whale has washed up on Cape Hedge Beach, less than a mile from its last resting spot, heavy equipment can get better access — and dispose of the 55-foot-long whale, said Joe Parisi, Rockport’s public works director.

“We have a plan in place to have a scientist from the Mass. Division of Marine Fisheries to come in and take the bones, then we’ll bury the remaining pieces of the whale,” Parisi said.

Parisi said the cost to dispose of the whale will be “insignificant” since once the bones are removed, there will only be loose blubber and flesh to bury.

Curiosity about the dead marine marine creature still lingers, even though its condition has badly deteriorated.

“There were several people there taking pictures,” said Globe employee and Rockport resident, June Wulff. “He’s really worse for wear.”

Once the whale has been cut up, public works employees will assist with moving the bones to a trailer before transporting the rest of the whale to a secret burial spot a short distance away from the beach, Parisi said.