Attacked by an Orca near A Coruna

[dolabriform]

I'm reading "Come hell or high water" by Clare Francis at the moment.
In it she writes: "We were asked to report all sightings of dolphins and whales ....... Remembering the number of yachts sunk by killer whales in recent years"
Page 94 for anyone that wants to look it up.
This was the 1976 OSTAR, so I guess this is not a new phenomenon.

Edit: crap typing

 

[TNLI]

We were on a yacht delivery from Tenerife to the UK. We had a quick stop in A Coruna and a few hours out were attacked by an Orca. We didn't see him at first - the rudder was just being hit and the wheel was being forced to turn. It was impossible to keep a straight course and the yacht was forced round in a circle. The rudder was rammed around 15 times and then he swam away. We were left with no steerage and had to be towed back into port by the coastguard. It all happened at around 1230 yesterday. No one was hurt, but it was a VERY scary experience. Be careful if you are in the area. He attacked us again when we were in tow!

Here is a short video that we just about managed to get before he swam away.

Pete

Why did the rudder jam or fail ??

I've had an Orca that was feeding nearby charge my yacht's stern, but all it did was surface very close and then about turn and back to the area it was feeding in. They are not known for ramming boats, so I wonder if this one had been upset by previous boats chasing it.

My recommendations for avoiding an attack by a whale:

1/ Same as for preventing or treating sea sickness, stay under under a tree.
2/ DON'T SPEED through any area with whales, as more than 5 knots is regarded as aggressive behaviour.
3/ CHANGE COURSE AWAY FROM THEM.
4/ If under sail, start the engine or generator to let them know you are there. When they are migrating, they do not echo locate, but they do listen 24/7.
5/ Make sure you have a berth where you can keep an ear near the hull, (Preferably a solid rather than a cored one), as they are audible through the hull, IF they are not migrating.
6/ Mark known feeding grounds on your chart, like the Azores, and Galapagos, the Galapagos seems to be the worst for collisions. Those areas are also known for tuna fishing.

 

[rotrax]

Why did the rudder jam or fail ??

I've had an Orca that was feeding nearby charge my yacht's stern, but all it did was surface very close and then about turn and back to the area it was feeding in. They are not known for ramming boats, so I wonder if this one had been upset by previous boats chasing it.

My recommendations for avoiding an attack by a whale:

1/ Same as for preventing or treating sea sickness, stay under under a tree.
2/ DON'T SPEED through any area with whales, as more than 5 knots is regarded as aggressive behaviour.
3/ CHANGE COURSE AWAY FROM THEM.
4/ If under sail, start the engine or generator to let them know you are there. When they are migrating, they do not echo locate, but they do listen 24/7.
5/ Make sure you have a berth where you can keep an ear near the hull, (Preferably a solid rather than a cored one), as they are audible through the hull, IF they are not migrating.
6/ Mark known feeding grounds on your chart, like the Azores, and Galapagos, the Galapagos seems to be the worst for collisions. Those areas are also known for tuna fishing.

You are late into the thread and obviously have not read early posts, read what happened and seen the pictures of the damage.

If you had, you would perhaps not have made the above post.

This particular pod IS known for damaging boats.

Note, boats, plural.

 

[25931]

The Portuguese Correio da Manhã reports that a German singlehander called for assistance yesterday after orcas damaged his rudder when he was some twelve miles from Sines.T he police boat that went to his aid was also attacked.

 

[nortada]

The Portuguese Correio da Manhã reports that a German singlehander called for assistance yesterday after orcas damaged his rudder when he was some twelve miles from Sines.T he police boat that went to his aid was also attacked.

Are these attacks during daylight hours or at night and how far off shore do the majority occur

 

[webcraft]

Oh good grief... Just as we are about to get our new engine fitted and head for Sines...

- W

 

[25931]

Are these attacks during daylight hours or at night and how far off shore do the majority occur

The CM didn't specify the time of day. I've no idea about the majority but this one was 12 miles nw of Sines.

 

[FlyingGoose]

been reflecting about this post then this post pops up, and I seem to remember all those wanting to hunt, kill or mame the orcas, who are in all respect are causing minimal damage to a plastic rudder and scaring the crap out of people .
The reason behind the great cull cry from fomites, of the orca was they were attacking boats, , but that is the difference is it not they were attacking boats, not the humans which makes a significant difference in the rhetoric of kill them all kill them all
When a cow kills someone in the UK and yes it happens , we do not run about tracking the crazy cow down and killing it , in case it is a man eater , no we accept that going into the country is a risk
Don't believe me well in the UK

Between 2015-16 and 2019-2020 the HSE investigated 142 incidents. Only 22 of them resulted in a death and the majority related to people who worked with cattle.
Members of the public accounted for only four of those deaths, the HSE confirmed.
It added that it investigated 65 non-fatal incidents involving cattle and members of the public over the same period.
How common is it for walkers to be killed by cows?

Where are you vigilantes now, rushing about killing the cows
Well then around 3 reported deaths in the World a we know has an orca killed any human since we could record such incidents , yup in the world oceans,
Seems then odd to be so hysterical about an orca swimming by , kinda puts it in perspective does it not.
I await my usual bashing with much glee

 

[newtothis]

Between 2015-16 and 2019-2020 the HSE investigated 142 incidents. Only 22 of them resulted in a death and the majority related to people who worked with cattle.
Members of the public accounted for only four of those deaths, the HSE confirmed.
It added that it investigated 65 non-fatal incidents involving cattle and members of the public over the same period.
How common is it for walkers to be killed by cows?

Where are you vigilantes now, rushing about killing the cows

My dietary habits have required the death of at least one cow a week. I am doing my bit for public safety. Why aren't you?

 

[Rappey]

Well then around 3 reported deaths in the World

The orcas are clever. They prey on solo sailors so know one knows ?

 

[zoidberg]

So how do you, Rappey, know this? Are you risen from the dead.....or are you Viago?

 

[Rappey]

I heard it from a man in the pub ?

 

[B&M]

I noticed that the Vendée Globe race has an exclusion zone off the NW coast of Spain, I wondered why, obviously for this very reason.

 

[greeny]

Big question for me is whether it's the same orcas as caused the previous number of events or is the behaviour spreading to other groups and therefore may become "the norm" in future for this coast.

 

[FlyingGoose]

Oh nae bother , get your saltire out and get rid of the ensign , they love the Scots

 

[FlyingGoose]

I noticed that the Vendée Globe race has an exclusion zone off the NW coast of Spain, I wondered why, obviously for this very reason.

There is advisory to avoid areas which was put out last month, if in that area and orcas come for a play , then just hard cheese imho

 

[dolabriform]

I don't know if this has been posted before, but it seems to show that the orcas involved have been injured by boats:

Previous incident may have led Orcas to target boats, say experts
Scientists say they know why killer whales are attacking boats off the coast of Spain

One reference I found ( lost it now ) postulates that they were harpooned by an illegal fishing boat.

This would explain their behaviour

 

[cherod]

" kill the cow ! " ,,, brilliant Goosey

 

[[163233]]

The reason behind the great cull cry...

No-one is suggesting a cull except perhaps to wind you up.

It would be nice to have something that'd put them off though if you were sailing in the affected areas. Maybe a big tub of chili powder, or would they just view that as seasoning?

 

[FlyingGoose]

One could also try peeing in the water