Orca attack map (Portugal/Spain/Gib)

[duncan_m]

If you're planning a trip to the med or back up this map from OrcaIberica.org might be helpful.

It shows the rough migration pattern dates of you're hoping to avoid 'hotspots' and haul outs...

Our plan is currently to take an offshore route but thought I'd share incase it hadn't been seen.

 

[greeny]

Thanks for the link to the website. I've not seen it before.
The maps would be more helpful if they actually dated individual interactions. Then the migration pattern could be plotted month on month, but that is not the case. They just show how many and what location in which year. We've been watching this pattern emerge over the past 2 years and even before that but not documented like it's been recently. The pattern likely follows the food stock they rely on of course.
The reason there are not more interactions further offshore is possibly due to the fact that the majority of small craft follow the coast down.
So thinking about it, staying offshore may do nothing to help you avoid them and if you lose steerage due to rudder damage, the rescue authorities have further to go to get to you and tow you in.

 

[Graham376]

The reason there are not more interactions further offshore is possibly due to the fact that the majority of small craft follow the coast down.
So thinking about it, staying offshore may do nothing to help you avoid them and if you lose steerage due to rudder damage, the rescue authorities have further to go to get to you and tow you in.

Staying off shore may help as most of the migrating tuna are closer to the shore as can be seen by the nets along Gib Straits and Algarve.

 

[greeny]

Staying off shore may help as most of the migrating tuna are closer to the shore as can be seen by the nets along Gib Straits and Algarve.

Seems like a reasonable strategy then. Revert to plan A

 

[duncan_m]

Thanks for the link to the website. I've not seen it before.
The maps would be more helpful if they actually dated individual interactions. Then the migration pattern could be plotted month on month, but that is not the case. They just show how many and what location in which year. We've been watching this pattern emerge over the past 2 years and even before that but not documented like it's been recently. The pattern likely follows the food stock they rely on of course.
The reason there are not more interactions further offshore is possibly due to the fact that the majority of small craft follow the coast down.
So thinking about it, staying offshore may do nothing to help you avoid them and if you lose steerage due to rudder damage, the rescue authorities have further to go to get to you and tow you in.

The colour of the dots aren't number of interactions they're months of the year.

So the pinks are September 2020 etc

 

[penfold]

The trend seems to be southerly.

 

[greeny]

The colour of the dots aren't number of interactions they're months of the year.

So the pinks are September 2020 etc

Ah OK got it now.

 

[greeny]

Interesting that in the month of August 2020, there were encounters of NW Spain, off Lisbon and Setubal, then also near Sagres and two more along the Algarve coast all in the same month.
The following month September shows a large cluster up off NW Spain, then in October/ November they're back off Lisbon.
Current wisdom suggests the encounters are from a trio of juvenile orcas called the three Gladys's.
Those three orcas certainly get around fast.
It'll be interesting to follow their journey this year on these charts.
Here on the Algarve we do get pretty good info from the dolphin trip boats who are quick to spot their arrival and I was lucky enough to see them last year in August when I was out fishing in the rib less than 1 mile off Carvoeiro. I was anchored and they didn't come too close to me thankfully. Looked like there was a pod of 4 or 5 from the distance I was at.

 

[25931]

Interesting that in the month of August 2020, there were encounters of NW Spain, off Lisbon and Setubal, then also near Sagres and two more along the Algarve coast all in the same month.
The following month September shows a large cluster up off NW Spain, then in October/ November they're back off Lisbon.
Current wisdom suggests the encounters are from a trio of juvenile orcas called the three Gladys's.
Those three orcas certainly get around fast.
It'll be interesting to follow their journey this year on these charts.
Here on the Algarve we do get pretty good info from the dolphin trip boats who are quick to spot their arrival and I was lucky enough to see them last year in August when I was out fishing in the rib less than 1 mile off Carvoeiro. I was anchored and they didn't come too close to me thankfully. Looked like there was a pod of 4 or 5 from the distance I was at.

Today's Correio da manha reports(with photo) that a yacht was towed into Sesimbra yesterday having had its rudder damaged by orcas.

 

[webcraft]

.
The perpetrators need to be culled. I don't care how 'magnificient' they are or what the reasons behind their actions are, they are causing hundreds of thousands of poundsworth of damage not to mention fear and alarm, and tying up safety resources with avoidable callouts and tow-ins

But I suppose nothing will happen until someone is killed. The lives of three orcas are considered more important by some than the disruption to innocent navigation.

- W

 

[Graham376]

.The perpetrators need to be culled. I don't care how 'magnificient' they are or what the reasons behind their actions are, they are causing hundreds of thousands of poundsworth of damage not to mention fear and alarm, and tying up safety resources with avoidable callouts and tow-ins
But I suppose nothing will happen until someone is killed. The lives of three orcas are considered more important by some than the disruption to innocent navigation.
- W

I doubt we can get close enough to stuff a flare down a blow hole but something needs doing. Wonder what they would do to people in the water or a life raft if a boat did sink?

 

[webcraft]

I doubt we can get close enough to stuff a flare down a blow hole but something needs doing. Wonder what they would do to people in the water or a life raft if a boat did sink?

I would suggest a rather more discrete method. We don't want to piss them off any more than they apparently already are.

But seriously, perhaps it is time the Iberian yachting community demanded action.

- W

 

[nortada]

I doubt we can get close enough to stuff a flare down a blow hole but something needs doing. Wonder what they would do to people in the water or a life raft if a boat did sink?

Eat them - just like seals.

 

[nortada]

I would suggest a rather more discrete method. We don't want to piss them off any more than they apparently already are.

But seriously, perhaps it is time the Iberian yachting community demanded action.

- W

I am not sure that there is a coherent Iberian yachting community so that would be a first.

 

[lusitano]

Terrifying moment 30 KILLER WHALES attack British yacht near Gibraltar

Sighted off Albufeira this morning (allegedly) - the Dolphin watching charter boats were cashing in, recovering some of their losses I expect !

 

[neil1967]

Today's Correio da manha reports(with photo) that a yacht was towed into Sesimbra yesterday having had its rudder damaged by orcas.

I can't find the article - do you have a link?

 

[greeny]

Terrifying moment 30 KILLER WHALES attack British yacht near Gibraltar

Sighted off Albufeira this morning (allegedly) - the Dolphin watching charter boats were cashing in, recovering some of their losses I expect !

I wondered why the dolphin boats were all heading that way from Portimao when I was out there today. No reported attacks though as far as I have heard. Maybe this group are not including the Three Gladys's who reputedly are the culprits.
Although the report from Gib is alarming that the group that attacked them was a much larger number than 3.
Is the behaviour being learned and spreading throughout the orca community. If so, that is extremely worrying.
Maybe I'll have a blast down that way in the rib tomorrow to go and see if they're still around.

 

[25931]

I wondered why the dolphin boats were all heading that way from Portimao when I was out there today. No reported attacks though as far as I have heard. Maybe this group are not including the Three Gladys's who reputedly are the culprits.
Although the report from Gib is alarming that the group that attacked them was a much larger number than 3.
Is the behaviour being learned and spreading throughout the orca community. If so, that is extremely worrying.
Maybe I'll have a blast down that way in the rib tomorrow to go and see if they're still around.

How can one tell the Daily Mail that calling orcas killer whales is like calling you a killer ape ?

 

[neil1967]

How can one tell the Daily Mail that calling orcas killer whales is like calling you a killer ape ?

I'm sure it was terrifying, but the reporting is typical Daily Wail sensationalism :-(

 

[25931]

I can't find the article - do you have a link?

I saw it in the paper that I was reading in a café(cheapskate) yesterday. It is probably available on the internet for anyone cleverer than me.