Letter to the Editor of the RYA mag ref Orcas

[25931]

If you don’t mind me remarking, rather flippant response.

If a boat is disabled and a crew member falls overboard, that crew member is in great risk of drowning. If the vessel sinks or is capsized, the whole crew could drown.

In my book, cause for concern and a Mayday for assistance

I doubt if many would go near the rail much less fall over to join the orcas even though they aren't known to attack humans.
Whilst phrased lightheartedly the idea that the orcas are playing must , in the absence of evidence to the contrary, be worth considering, don't you think ?

 

[nortada]

I doubt if many would go near the rail much less fall over to join the orcas even though they aren't known to attack humans.
Whilst phrased lightheartedly the idea that the orcas are playing must , in the absence of evidence to the contrary, be worth considering, don't you think ?

A rather dangerous game don’t you think

Although Iberian Orcas currently do not include humans in their diet, with the reduction in blue fin tuna, they many change this habit.

Have you seen what they do with seals in other parts of the world

Try ‘Orcas Hunting Seals’, on YouTube - to a killer whale, a human looks very like a seal and the next meal?

Call me a whimp but I for one, would not want to be in the water in the company of orcas, many miles from land.

 

[sailaboutvic]

I just wonder what the reaction would be if this was happening in the Solent.

 

[nortada]

Orcas Attacking Boats In The Solent

Questions on the Floor of the House and Boris held responsible.?

 

[dunedin]

I just wonder what the reaction would be if this was happening in the Solent.

So this does beg the question ....... what actions, if any, are the Spanish and Portugese Sailing bodies taking on this to assist their yachting community?

(Related to the title of this thread, yes I would expect the UK RYA to be more interested if happening in UK waters.)

 

[sailaboutvic]

So this does beg the question ....... what actions, if any, are the Spanish and Portugese Sailing bodies taking on this to assist their yachting community?

(Related to the title of this thread, yes I would expect the UK RYA to be more interested if happening in UK waters.)

My option for what is worth is while large some of money is being made by towing vessel, repair yards and haulout , nothing , once the fishmen get involved maybe some thing will start to happen I don't think even if someone got kill it make any difference.

 

[25931]

A rather dangerous game don’t you think

Although Iberian Orcas currently do not include humans in their diet, with the reduction in blue fin tuna, they many change this habit.

Have you seen what they do with seals in other parts of the world

Try ‘Orcas Hunting Seals’, on YouTube - to a killer whale, a human looks very like a seal and the next meal?

Call me a whimp but I for one, would not want to be in the water in the company of orcas, many miles from land.

Not only Iberian - no orcas include humans in their diet but this is far from what I was trying to do - i.e. consider the possibility that orcas are playing with aweful lwhite boats.

 

[SaltIre]

So this does beg the question ....... what actions, if any, are the Spanish and Portugese Sailing bodies taking on this to assist their yachting community?

(Related to the title of this thread, yes I would expect the UK RYA to be more interested if happening in UK waters.)

Somebody should write a letter to the Editors of their magazines and ask.

 

[nortada]

Not only Iberian - no orcas include humans in their diet but this is far from what I was trying to do - i.e. consider the possibility that orcas are playing with aweful lwhite boats.

No orcas include humans in their diet - are you sure

I think you may find the Inuits have a different view.

 

[SaltIre]

Sir
My boat is based in Faro, Portugal. There are lots of us there and thereabouts. Grave concerns are being aired about the increasing frequency of attacks on our boats by Orcas, ranging from Gibraltar to La Coruna.

Given the amount of support given to our successful racing team at the Olympics, could not some of that resource now be focussed on why these attacks are happening to us cruisers?

The advice by govts, which doesnt seem to be based on any scientific studies, to switch everything off and drop the sails doesnt appear to be working!

Anecdotal evidence emerging from some Portuguese skippers is that going astern as they approach the rudder deters them.

Could not the RYA commisssion a proper scientific study to find out a position and dateline timeline tied in to the tuna migration route so that we could make a data driven decision on when and where to make passage?

Also a scientific analysis of the attacks, given that myself and others have noticed in the Youtube videos the pack hunting behaviour of them blowing bubble curtains and tail slapping as they circle the stern area of boats, would be helpful?

The advice we are getting so far doesnt seem to be working, only a science driven analysis of this behaviour with science driven advice will perhaps help us cruisers to understand and mitigate the threat.

Rudders are still being munched!
How long before a person is munched?

Yours sincerely
Stuart A Davies

Does one still address a lady as "Sir"?
Did Ms Cornick reply?

 

[MAURICE]

Ive wondered for a while if any or all of the boats being attacked have ultrasonic anti fouling???
ive got to run the gauntlet back from Gib to the UK next April/ May so am a bit concerned about this.

 

[Beneteau381]

Ive wondered for a while if any or all of the boats being attacked have ultrasonic anti fouling???
ive got to run the gauntlet back from Gib to the UK next April/ May so am a bit concerned about this.

We need, as I said in the original, to understand their routes, so Cascais last sunday ish, Sines the week before, Sagres the week before, before that? barbate, gib? How does that tie in with last uear when they were attacking off cape finistere? They follow the tuna to gib early on then turn back to go north, the trick is to work out timing of when they are going somewhere?

 

[webcraft]

.
Someone suggested utrasonic repellers such as seal scarers to me.

Not sure if there is anything commercially available that would be suitable. If someone could work out a way tomake one cheaply there could be a market for it. Drop a transducer on a wire overboard and switch it on.

Many of these devices have been mothballed by the salmon industry.

https://thefishsite.com/articles/salmon-farmers-mothball-antiquated-seal-deterrent-systems

- W