Dead Whale Washes Ashore Near San Clemente

A massive whale carcass is drawing attention after it washed ashore at one of Southern California's most legendary surf spots, and now whale watchers say they expect a second carcass will wash up in the area soon.

The carcass appeared along Lower Trestles on Sunday, a popular break at San Onofre State Beach south of San Clemente, according to Donna Kalez, general manager of Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching.

Two carcasses, estimated to be about 40-feet long, were recently spotted in the area, and a boat captain expects the second carcass will wash up in the next several days.

The whale appears to have died of natural causes, as it had no visible signs of entanglements or abrasions. The discovery has attracted a wave of curious onlookers that flocked to the beach to snap photos of the dead animal.

"I've never seen anything like it before," one beachgoer said.

Officials said a necropsy will be performed to determine a cause of death.

State lifeguards will likely wait until high tide to take the marine mammal into the ocean.

A boat captain for the whale watching company said he recommends surfers stay away from the waters, as sharks are known to eat whale carcasses.

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