Volunteers from the Pacific Marine Mammal Center released Franklin into the waters off San Onofre on Monday, capping his three-day adventure on the Orange County coast.
It started Saturday when Franklin got stuck in a creek in Irvine. That is where rescuers initially netted the 700-pound animal. But Franklin returned to the creek Monday morning.
Wildlife experts figured they had take him farther south this time so he won't get lost again. Franklin is named after Olympic swimmer Missy Franklin.