A dead whale washed up on the sand in Newport Beach on Wednesday, Feb. 18, with authorities assessing how the mammal died — and how to get it off of the popular beach.

The 30-foot whale was first spotted offshore at about 1:45 p.m. near 28th Street and came onto shore at about 3 p.m. near 11th Street, between the Newport and Balboa piers and near Newport Elementary school, Lifeguard Chief Brian O’Rourke said.

The mammal is believed to be a humpback and about 20,000 pounds, or 10 tons, he said. Staff from the Pacific Marine Mammal Center were on scene, he said.

The cause

of death is unknown and the PMMC staff will do a preliminary assessment followed by a necropsy, said National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration spokesman Michael Milstein.

Winds were too strong, and sea conditions on Wednesday were too dangerous for a tow vessel to come close to the shore to remove the massive animal, O’Rourke said, adding they may have to wait until Friday due to more inclement weather that is expected.

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“The salvage boat can’t even do it because the weather is still extreme out in the outer water, and it’s too dangerous to tow,” said O’Rourke.

Authorities will have to wait for the higher morning tides to see if they carry the animal back out to sea, or they may need to dispose of it by having pieces hauled offsite, as they did with a massive whale off Lower Trestles about a decade ago, O’Rourke said.

“We’re working on a plan to dispose of it,” he said. “For it to just decay on the beach would cause a lot of different problems.”

He said people should stay clear of the whale, keeping a distance of at least 200 feet.

“Just please stay away from it right now until we can get the salvage disposal of the whale underway,” he said. “It’s massive; there could be some danger to the public, it’s rolling away from the surfline.

“It could cause damage, even crush them,” he warned. “That’s a possibility in a dangerous situation.”