Orca attack

[Kelpie]

I am no expert, but I thought that GPS tracking devices have been attached to quite a lot of large sea animals - whales, dolphins and sharks - for claimed “research” and “conservation” purposes. Sometimes attached manually by brave swimmers, but I thought also via special darts/harpoons. Have used to learn more about their ocean migration paths. But I may be wrong.

You've prompted me to look in to this.
Trackers are available for use with cetaceans with a claimed battery life of 540 days. They operate using the 'Argus' satellite network so the data would not be available to yachts directly.

This is a project that needs to be done at a government level, but the technology is there.

 

[nortada]

You've prompted me to look in to this.
Trackers are available for use with cetaceans with a claimed battery life of 540 days. They operate using the 'Argus' satellite network so the data would not be available to yachts directly.

This is a project that needs to be done at a government level, but the technology is there.

Suspect, at present, governments have more on their minds (like events in the Ukrain) than tracking sea mammals.

Put in perspective, the orca issue affects very few and attracts even fewer votes.

 

[25931]

Has any one defined what type of boat is attacked ? Do some types appear to be immune ?
I haven´t studied the matter but it seems that as a general rule it is a middle sized grp cruiser which excites the orca. Have any small boats been attacked ? Any motorboats ? Any wooden rudders ?
I imagine that someone must have considered the variations but I haven't seen anything mentioned.

 

[Kelpie]

Has any one defined what type of boat is attacked ? Do some types appear to be immune ?
I haven´t studied the matter but it seems that as a general rule it is a middle sized grp cruiser which excites the orca. Have any small boats been attacked ? Any motorboats ? Any wooden rudders ?
I imagine that someone must have considered the variations but I haven't seen anything mentioned.

I agree that this information needs to be compiled, but it won't be all that useful until we also know how many boats in total are passing through the risk areas, and what type, size, construction, etc those are.

 

[greeny]

The collation of the information needed to create a meaningful data base is proving to be nigh impossible. There are several facebook pages and web pages all professing to be doing it but none are successful as far as I can see. They all contain a bit of useful information but none have the full picture. We don't know how many boats go through the area on an annual, monthly or weekly basis. We don't know what type they are. We only hear when they have had a problem and have to be towed in, and even then I doubt that all the attacks are being recorded. The only way at present is to keep your ear to the ground and read all the reports and f/book reports. Then use your own judgement about routing and timing. Shallow water, inshore routing and daylight sailing seems to be the starter for most people right now.
I've not seen or heard of any motor boats being attacked like yachts are. Generally they have much smaller rudders and so may not be as attractive to the orcas. That doesn't mean there have been no attacks, but probably far fewer.
The interactions with the dolphin watching boats that have been reported are generally where the orca has come alongside and pushed/buffeted against the rib tubes. The skippers of these boats usually move away from orcas and keep them at a distance. This is for two reasons, they do not want the passengers/boat at risk and they don't want the passengers to see the carnage that occurs should the orcas be chasing young dolphins for food and catch one.
These interaction are not new and have been happening for several years, way before the current problems started but some of the web pages are counting them in the total of interactions and are therefore slewing the calculations.

 

[capnsensible]

When you find out there's nothing new about it.

The Strait of Gibraltar 30,000 years ago: from a cave on the edge of the broad plain the members of several neanderthal families descend on their way to the beach which, due to the present glaciation, is several kilometres away as a result of the 120-m fall in the sea level. It is spring, and as they know well from their predecessors, at this time of year the tunas, full of eggs, migrate eastwards. The strait now consists of two distinct broad channels and Africa is only 10 km away. The current is very strong, but the killer whales will soon begin the chase of the shoals of huge tunas. In the chase some of the enormous fishes will be beached, and each of them will ensure a lot of food for these last neanderthal families, who came here two thousand years earlier when they were fleeing from the glacial cold spreading through the European continent. Figures 4.3, 4.4 and 4.5 show three scenes that may have taken place in those times in the Strait of Gibraltar

 

[sarabande]

I am reluctant to believe the Janet and John description. No mention of the Zanclean flood, nor of the last glaciation about 20000 years ago.

And any fish that is beached will go off in 24 to 36 hours rendering it inedible.


It's history for children, but not as we know it, Jim.

 

[Graham376]

I agree that this information needs to be compiled, but it won't be all that useful until we also know how many boats in total are passing through the risk areas, and what type, size, construction, etc those are.

Seems much quieter so far this year for boats passing through Algarve with only around a dozen on anchor a week ago at Culatra and same at Ferragudo

 

[webcraft]

Seems much quieter so far this year for boats passing through Algarve with only around a dozen on anchor a week ago at Culatra and same at Ferragudo

Why do you think that is, Graham?

- W

 

[nortada]

Why do you think that is, Graham?

- W

Rather than a single factor, I would suggest it is a combination of recent events Brexit, Covid, Orcas, the price of fuel, the current economic situation ( lack of money), the war in the Ukraine and other issues, have conspired to create a perfect storm of uncertainty.

Hence, rather than cruising, many are staying closer to home.

 

[25931]

When you find out there's nothing new about it.

The Strait of Gibraltar 30,000 years ago: from a cave on the edge of the broad plain the members of several neanderthal families descend on their way to the beach which, due to the present glaciation, is several kilometres away as a result of the 120-m fall in the sea level. It is spring, and as they know well from their predecessors, at this time of year the tunas, full of eggs, migrate eastwards. The strait now consists of two distinct broad channels and Africa is only 10 km away. The current is very strong, but the killer whales will soon begin the chase of the shoals of huge tunas. In the chase some of the enormous fishes will be beached, and each of them will ensure a lot of food for these last neanderthal families, who came here two thousand years earlier when they were fleeing from the glacial cold spreading through the European continent. Figures 4.3, 4.4 and 4.5 show three scenes that may have taken place in those times in the Strait of Gibraltar

I am sure that even the neandethal new that the orca was a dolphin and didn't use the silly term "killer whale"

 

[25931]

The collation of the information needed to create a meaningful data base is proving to be nigh impossible. There are several facebook pages and web pages all professing to be doing it but none are successful as far as I can see. They all contain a bit of useful information but none have the full picture. We don't know how many boats go through the area on an annual, monthly or weekly basis. We don't know what type they are. We only hear when they have had a problem and have to be towed in, and even then I doubt that all the attacks are being recorded. The only way at present is to keep your ear to the ground and read all the reports and f/book reports. Then use your own judgement about routing and timing. Shallow water, inshore routing and daylight sailing seems to be the starter for most people right now.
I've not seen or heard of any motor boats being attacked like yachts are. Generally they have much smaller rudders and so may not be as attractive to the orcas. That doesn't mean there have been no attacks, but probably far fewer.
The interactions with the dolphin watching boats that have been reported are generally where the orca has come alongside and pushed/buffeted against the rib tubes. The skippers of these boats usually move away from orcas and keep them at a distance. This is for two reasons, they do not want the passengers/boat at risk and they don't want the passengers to see the carnage that occurs should the orcas be chasing young dolphins for food and catch one.
These interaction are not new and have been happening for several years, way before the current problems started but some of the web pages are counting them in the total of interactions and are therefore slewing the calculations.

It is unlikely that Iberian orcas eat other dolphins as their staple diet is tunny.

 

[greeny]

Seems much quieter so far this year for boats passing through Algarve with only around a dozen on anchor a week ago at Culatra and same at Ferragudo

Just at the moment a dozen would be far too many at Ferragudo. We locals can't get space to anchor ours in the normal spots at the moment. The cruise ships have started visiting again, there were 4 last week and they need space to manoeuvre hence stopping us anchoring further round into the river. PM not happy about that and move us on if we do. Request to any skippers in the area. Please try to leave the area around the moorings clear so locals can pick up their buoys. Most local boats are small and try to stay close to the shore in shallow water whilst cruising boats stay further out. Unfortunately with the increased popularity of cats this is not always happening now as they can go shallow. One cat and its swing circle takes out the area for 4 or 5 small boats.

 

[capnsensible]

I am reluctant to believe the Janet and John description. No mention of the Zanclean flood, nor of the last glaciation about 20000 years ago.

And any fish that is beached will go off in 24 to 36 hours rendering it inedible.


It's history for children, but not as we know it, Jim.

Tuna have been preyed on by orcas for millenia. Whether you believe it or not.......

 

[capnsensible]

The competition for the resource has been going on since pre phonecean times. This is a bit more up to date. Could the fairly stupid orcas mistake a rudder for a tuna?

The Phonecians were the ones that invented the fish traps. The ones there today are simply an improvement over those. Don't bump into ne ona yacht.......it will do more damage than a whale.

 

[Graham376]

Why do you think that is, Graham?

- W

I don't have an answer but think Nortada has most likely summed it up - combined reasons.

 

[capnsensible]

I am sure that even the neandethal new that the orca was a dolphin and didn't use the silly term "killer whale"

What language did the neanderthals speak in that area?

 

[25931]

What language did the neanderthals speak in that area?

I'll bow to your greater proximity to them.

 

[capnsensible]

I'll bow to your greater proximity to them.

Smart answer that dodges the fact you have no idea what they called killer whales......

 

[25931]

Tuna have been preyed on by orcas for millenia. Whether you believe it or not.......

Smart answer that dodges the fact you have no idea what they called killer whales......

Smart answer that dodges the fact you have no idea what they called killer whales......

Thank you for stimulating me to gain more knowledge by research .I now know that I was wrong. The neanderthals ,like their descendants, were unable to distinguish between whales and dolphins and even thought that they were all fish.