Well, the dozen or so other theories that have been advanced to account for whale strandings haven't been much better. M. Klinowska thinks that she has some clues indicating a better theory. Second, strandings are also correlated with irregular changes in the magnetic field. You will see the significance of these facts after you hear her theory.
Cetaceans use the total geomagnetic field of the Earth as a map.
A timer, also based on this field, allows them to monitor their position and progress on the map. They are not using the directional information of the Earth's field, as we do with our compasses, but small relative differences in the total local field. I arrived at this explanation after a detailed analysis of the records of strandings in Britain, but it has so far been confirmed by two groups working in the U.S. Similar work is in progress in other parts of the world. The total magnetic field of the Earth is not uniform. My analysis shows that the animals move along the contours of these magnetic slopes, and that in certain circumstances this can lead them to strand themselves.