In two separate mass strandings, more than 650 pilot whales beached themselves on a small slice of beach named Farewell Spit in New Zealand. Sadly, more than 350 of those died there over the past few days. When exhausted volunteer rescuers left the beach on Saturday night, hundreds of survivors from the second stranding remained ashore.

When rescuers returned Sunday morning, they felt as if they were part of a miracle. Nearly all the surviving whales had returned to the waters of Golden Bay. Only 17 remained on the beach. As of last report, even those 17 had returned to the sea.

"We had 240 whales strand yesterday in the afternoon and we were fearful we were going to end up with 240 dead whales this morning," Herb Christophers, a spokesman for New Zealand's Department of Conservation, told Reuters.

Rescuers say that when high tide arrived, the whales refloated themselves.

Fingers and fin tips crossed that they remain in the ocean.

Jubilant staffers at conservation group Project Jonah tweeted the happy news: