More Orcas

[Halcyon Yachts]

For anyone sailing south of Lisbon, be careful. We had a run in with a large orca yesterday (near Sines):

Pete

 

[mainsail1]

Sorry to hear that. It is such a problem with no solution.

 

[AllWinds]

Just curious, Why did you not use the most recent recommendations? How deep were you when this happened?

With engine, best speed possible to shallow water.

 

[Travelling Westerly]

You look familiar, were you the chaps in Genoa marina taking delivery of that new Solaris?
It was delivered with the wrong size sails?

 

[RunAgroundHard]

The bite marks look as if they are straight from a cartoon bite style. No laughing matter though.

Amazing response, post incident, to get the boat lifted and rudders replaced fast. Did you meet the race deadline?

 

[stranded]

Just curious, Why did you not use the most recent recommendations? How deep were you when this happened?

With engine, best speed possible to shallow water.

Just curious, why did you think that the most appropriate response was to broadcast your ‘superior’ knowledge.

 

[AllWinds]

Just curious, why did you think that the most appropriate response was to broadcast your ‘superior’ knowledge.

I am genuinely curious. Perhaps the OP has different information to me, perhaps not. But as far as I was aware reversing was being discussed 2 to 3 years ago whereas now the advice I have been hearing seems different. I am guessing the OP as a delivery skipper is aware of most of this and there is some reason why he did what he did.

 

[stranded]

Fair enough - I obviously misinterpreted it as smartarsery - apologies.

 

[shan]

I am genuinely curious. Perhaps the OP has different information to me, perhaps not. But as far as I was aware reversing was being discussed 2 to 3 years ago whereas now the advice I have been hearing seems different. I am guessing the OP as a delivery skipper is aware of most of this and there is some reason why he did what he did.

What is the current advice? Let's assume you can't get to shallow water quickly.

 

[dunedin]

What is the current advice? Let's assume you can't get to shallow water quickly.

From YM site ..

Avoiding orca encounters​

The key tactic for avoiding the killer whales is clear; keep away from the known orca locations. The advice is to transit the Straits (and indeed the Atlantic coast of Portugal) in shallow waters. If possible, keep within the 20m depth contour where very few interactions have so far been recorded.

So presumably enter shallow water well before the Orca danger zones (though these are of course a moving feast).

It is a fair question to ask the OP what their route and tactics were

 

[shan]

From YM site ..

Avoiding orca encounters​

The key tactic for avoiding the killer whales is clear; keep away from the known orca locations. The advice is to transit the Straits (and indeed the Atlantic coast of Portugal) in shallow waters. If possible, keep within the 20m depth contour where very few interactions have so far been recorded.

So presumably enter shallow water well before the Orca danger zones (though these are of course a moving feast).

It is a fair question to ask the OP what their route and tactics were

Okay, you have done all of that as far as possible and you encounter Orcas in deep water. What then?

 

[AllWinds]

What is the current advice? Let's assume you can't get to shallow water quickly.

From YM site ..

Avoiding orca encounters​

The key tactic for avoiding the killer whales is clear; keep away from the known orca locations. The advice is to transit the Straits (and indeed the Atlantic coast of Portugal) in shallow waters. If possible, keep within the 20m depth contour where very few interactions have so far been recorded.

So presumably enter shallow water well before the Orca danger zones (though these are of course a moving feast).

It is a fair question to ask the OP what their route and tactics were

My understanding is as Dunedin said to avoid interaction in the first place.

If you are further out and an Orca takes a fancy to your boat, go as fast as possible out of the area. Apparently, from what I've heard is that the Orcas stay in a small area when feeding and won't follow you for more than a mile or so. Also if you are making best speed (even if that is only 6 knots) they can't exert full force on the rudder so in theory if you are moving the risk of damage is less and the time you are exposed to that damage is also reduced.

There are many discussions out there, but perhaps this summarises it a bit.
https://www.orcas.pt/orcasdosanddonts

 

[dunedin]

Okay, you have done all of that as far as possible and you encounter Orcas in deep water. What then?

A) Panic
B) ?

 

[GHA]

What is the current advice? Let's assume you can't get to shallow water quickly.

Seems not very common having to be in deep water unless you're coming in from the Azores or Biscay depending where the pods are. An awful lot of boats have been doing just fine sticking inside the 20m contour.

 

[shan]

Seems not very common having to be in deep water unless you're coming in from the Azores or Biscay depending where the pods are. An awful lot of boats have been doing just fine sticking inside the 20m contour.

That's all good and well, except if you are having to transverse deep water. What then?

 

[GHA]

That's all good and well, except if you are having to transverse deep water. What then?

Join the whatsapp group & ask what everyone else does, where they are feeding is always known. Just don't go where they are.
Monsters from the Id are harder to track


This is just a web forum, not the best place to find out things about the real world, the orca whatsapp group is better.

 

[Seven Spades]

I have done it twice in the last two years. Orcas.pt has a Telegram group where you can get a running commentary on the locations of the Orcas. It is possible to stay within the 20m contour the whole way from Lagos south until you reach the Tuna nets near Barbate. I was lucky and able to go inside them but this year there are lines ashore and so it is not recommended and you are forced to hug them and go around them. This is an uncomfortable thing to do because they go out to sea for over 2 miles and into waters of up to 60m. Then when you round the Tarifa and you enter the inlet with Gibraltar it is impossible to remain in shallow water but the Orcas are not in that location at the moment.

The problem with staying within the 20m countour is it adds at least a day tothe journey. For example going from Faro to Cadiz directly is a day quicker than following the coast as you will need to stop the night near Mazagon.

The group is very active and those that follow the advice don't suffer any damage, all the damage occurs when people do not follow advice and enter deep water. Every year during May most of the Orcas congregate in Barbate Bay and it in unbelievable the number of boats that try to go straight across instead of hugging the coast. The other common mistake is those approaching from offshore should not approach the Straights of Gibraltar but head for Cadiz and then hug the coast.

There are a lot of people who have not heard of the group or simply chance it and it is those boats that are damaged by Orcas. It simply sin't worth the risk, you might take an extra day and do a lot more miles but if you are damaged then you will lose a lot more time and money.