Nearly 200 volunteers spent four hours guiding 15 whales out to sea after they stranded for a second time at Farewell Spit.
Yesterday, 55 whales were reported to have stranded in two locations on the spit in Golden Bay.
Marine mammal protection organisation Project Jonah NZ said this morning that "of the 55 whales that stranded yesterday, 15 have re-stranded and six have been found deceased".
Project Jonah said the whales re-stranded along the high tide line and that added to the complexity of the refloat.
In an update on Friday evening, the DOC's Golden Bay operations manager Ross Trotter told 1News the whales were refloated during the high tide with help from DOC, Project Jonah, Manawhenua ki Mohua, and volunteers.
"The whales slowly and steadily headed out of the intertidal zone and have made it safely into deeper waters," he said.
Trotter said they were "cautiously optimistic" but there was a possibility the whales "could turn and re-strand".
Project Jonah confirmed nearly 200 people spent four hours in the water guiding the pod further out to sea.
"The whales slowly but steadily headed out to deeper water – with a bit of encouragement – and were last seen swimming 1.3kms off the beach and tracking southwest towards Collingwood. This is encouraging news," an update said.
"Our team will remain onsite tonight, tracking the whales as best we can in the windy conditions and will be back again at first light to check the beaches alongside Department of Conservation staff.
"A huge thank you to everyone who supported the efforts today, including those who came down to the beach, Project Jonah medics from across the region, holiday makers and locals and Manawhenua Ki Mohua."
Naturally occurring 'whale trap'
Six pilot whales died while 15 others were herded back into the water off the spit. (Source: Other)
Pilot whale strandings occurred at Farewell Spit most years which was a natural occurrence. Farewell Spit was a naturally occurring "whale trap" that occurs along a migratory route for long-finned pilot whales in New Zealand.
The spit hooked around the northern entrance into Golden Bay, forming extensive intertidal sand flats flanked by gently shelving waters offshore. Whales might be easily deceived and caught out by the gently sloping tidal flats and a rapidly falling tide.
Pilot whales had strong social bonds and if one whale headed into shallow water, the rest of the pod would follow due to their natural instinct to look after one another.
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