Attacked by an Orca near A Coruna

[Buck Turgidson]

Perfect timing.... I'm bringing a boat back from Cartagena soon.

I wonder whether the whales have learned to associate boats with falling numbers of tuna? If they're as emotionally intelligent as we think then, daft as it might sound, they might be cross with us.

No.
They are dumb as ditch water. Everything is either pray or predator. They interact to find out. If they think it's pray they will attack either for food or fun If they think its a threat they will run. Those claiming switching everything off and playing dead is the correct way to act if attacked are encouraging more attacks.

 

[webcraft]

No.
They are dumb as ditch water. Everything is either pray or predator. They interact to find out. If they think it's pray they will attack either for food or fun If they think its a threat they will run. Those claiming switching everything off and playing dead is the correct way to act if attacked are encouraging more attacks.

I believe that is the official advice.

Bashing them with a spinnaker pole and shouting at them seems to have got rid of them in this instance, but not before they had damaged the rudder.

What would you do?

I ask as I am heading that way.

- W

 

[Daydream believer]

. We are in their habitat

So has it occurred to you that they are also in OUR habitat

 

[GHA]

Those claiming switching everything off and playing dead is the correct way to act if attacked are encouraging more attacks.

How do you know that? Where's your evidence?

 

[RJJ]

Perhaps we can come up with some non lethal orca deterent suggestions for you. A loud speaker up against the boat hull with Justin Beiber on repeat ?

I'd rather be attacked by an Orca

 

[Frogmogman]

Bashing them with a spinnaker pole and shouting at them seems to have got rid of them in this instance, but not before they had damaged the rudder.

I got the impression that those tactics failed to have much effect. It seemed to be the flares that persuaded them to go elsewhere.

 

[25931]

No.
They are dumb as ditch water. Everything is either pray or predator. They interact to find out. If they think it's pray they will attack either for food or fun If they think its a threat they will run. Those claiming switching everything off and playing dead is the correct way to act if attacked are encouraging more attacks.

 

[25931]

I can not agree. There is a great deal of evidence (going back centuries )to show that dolphins are not "dumb" either fguratively or literally. They do not see everything as prey or predator and as regards to attacks by orcas one should not make judgements on little more than a handful of cases.

 

[matt1]

Now I think about it, I wonder if this event was a precursor to what we are seeing now. Also goes to show that even a big old Rassy can succumb

Three British sailors rescued after their yacht collides with a whale - YBW

 

[25931]

Now I think about it, I wonder if this event was a precursor to what we are seeing now. Also goes to show that even a big old Rassy can succumb

Three British sailors rescued after their yacht collides with a whale - YBW

 

[25931]

I think it more likely that they hit a somnolent whale than a lively dolphin or perhaps a four ton basking shark.

 

[cherod]

I think it more likely that they hit a somnolent whale than a lively dolphin or perhaps a four ton basking shark.

Of course , but in this era of panic and hysteria why spoil a “ good “ story .

 

[cherod]

If anyone does , as is the current trend , fall for the sensationalisim of an Orca attack and feel that some preventative measures are required then try dragging a few 20ft lengths of chain off the back of the boat , that should keep the crazed beasts away from that delicate rudder

 

[chrishscorp]

If anyone does , as is the current trend , fall for the sensationalisim of an Orca attack and feel that some preventative measures are required then try dragging a few 20ft lengths of chain off the back of the boat , that should keep the crazed beasts away from that delicate rudder

I have watched a video of a whale 'chomping' on an anchor chain and dragging a yacht around an anchorage in a bay for fun, not sure your idea is a great one though i suppose its slightly better than having your rudder eaten.

 

[25931]

I have watched a video of a whale 'chomping' on an anchor chain and dragging a yacht around an anchorage in a bay for fun, not sure your idea is a great one though i suppose its slightly better than having your rudder eaten.

Are you talking about a whale or a dolphin ?

 

[Rappey]

I have watched a video of a whale 'chomping' on an anchor chain and dragging a yacht around an anchorage in a bay for fun,

Amazing ?
Did it do it on purpose ?

 

[Dave100456]

( ref post 449 which I thought I’d included but can’t see it in my reply.)
For the record; Since I was the owner and skipper at the time; from the horses mouth..... 450M out from Azores, 600M off Portugal I recon we ran over a sleeping (sperm?) whale as the bow rose up as if running ashore. A instant later we were side swiped such that it threw me across the saloon like a car crash. I climbed the companionway to see a 3 metre+ tail fluke above and against the stbd quarter guard wire. Can’t really blame the whale and guess I’d have been pretty aggressive if someone ran over me whilst sleeping! Keel fixings all perfectly intact but the hull structure was compromised and we gradually lost structural integrity over the next 15 hrs. Cutting a long story short we abandoned 15 hrs later.

 

[25931]

( ref post 449 which I thought I’d included but can’t see it in my reply.)
For the record; Since I was the owner and skipper at the time; from the horses mouth..... 450M out from Azores, 600M off Portugal I recon we ran over a sleeping (sperm?) whale as the bow rose up as if running ashore. A instant later we were side swiped such that it threw me across the saloon like a car crash. I climbed the companionway to see a 3 metre+ tail fluke above and against the stbd quarter guard wire. Can’t really blame the whale and guess I’d have been pretty aggressive if someone ran over me whilst sleeping! Keel fixings all perfectly intact but the hull structure was compromised and we gradually lost structural integrity over the next 15 hrs. Cutting a long story short we abandoned 15 hrs later.

Thanks, that makes sense whereas an orca just did not fit.
I hope that a million to one chance hasn't put you off sailing.

 

[matt1]

( ref post 449 which I thought I’d included but can’t see it in my reply.)
For the record; Since I was the owner and skipper at the time; from the horses mouth..... 450M out from Azores, 600M off Portugal I recon we ran over a sleeping (sperm?) whale as the bow rose up as if running ashore. A instant later we were side swiped such that it threw me across the saloon like a car crash. I climbed the companionway to see a 3 metre+ tail fluke above and against the stbd quarter guard wire. Can’t really blame the whale and guess I’d have been pretty aggressive if someone ran over me whilst sleeping! Keel fixings all perfectly intact but the hull structure was compromised and we gradually lost structural integrity over the next 15 hrs. Cutting a long story short we abandoned 15 hrs later.

That's great to know (well, not the ouctcome obviously, but the circumstances) It's good to know it was an "accident" rather than perhaps a deliberate act by the whale. I was wondering if this behaviour actually started some time ago, seems not and hopefully more of a recent thing. Good that the boat gave you 15 hours to get your stuff together!

 

[Dave100456]

Thanks, that makes sense whereas an orca just did not fit.
I hope that a million to one chance hasn't put you off sailing.

Not put off sailing; crossed again the following season in my aluminium replacement boat!