Orca attack

[greeny]

Genuinely worried about this. We've got to get down the Atlantic coast in the next few weeks.
What's the latest thinking on how far off shore to stay?

It seems they have damaged rudders both near and far from the coast but If it was me I'd stay inshore as much as possible. Just my gut feel having been watching the situation for close on 2 years now. The other things that makes me think this way are that whenever the tourist dolphin boats report orcas around, it's almost always well offshore, 10 to 20 miles. Although they have been seen close in, it's more often than not, well out. The local rod fishing boats that go out fishing for tuna all seem to go a long way out as well so if the orcas follow the tuna, it stands to reason that's where they will be more likely to be encountered. On the other hand, the tuna nets in the old days used to go out from near to the beach for several miles, so the tuna do come inshore sometimes I guess following their food supply.
Hmmm. food chain. Sardine, sand eel, / mackerel, / tuna / orca. I was catching mackerel in plenty last week just 1 to 2 miles off.

I've not heard of any boats being attacked going locally from say Lagos to Portimao or Albufeira when sailing inshore. Most of those attacked seem to have been on passage and may have been well offshore on their routing.

Last week the tourist fishing boats were reporting tuna catches well offshore. This week none so far.

There will be other views though I am sure.

 

[nortada]

As this is such an important issue, possibly the Moderators could make Orca Attacks a stickie in Liveaboard Link?

Reporting this post.

 

[sailaboutvic]

After everything I read and one guy we know who had a part of his rudder taken .
Two thing I would do .
Stay in shallow waters and if attack go onto astern

 

[cherod]

As this is such an important issue, possibly the Moderators could make Orca Attacks a stickie in Liveaboard Link?

Reporting this post.

perhaps they could ban the attacks altogether

 

[BurnitBlue]

I still prefer a solution depending on WHY.

I have read that Dolfins and Orca are known to ask humans for help. One incident in Norway caught the attention of the Swedish media a few month ago when a whale maybe Orca repeatedly entered a fishing harbour seeking help. It was put down because it was beyond help with stomach full of plastic garbage. It died in agony.

Letting my imagination run wild. Do I believe this is the why? No I do not, but I wanted to illustrate that without a WHY we could do more harm than good. I cannot think of a reason why the activity on friendly yachts is a cry for help however disabling a boats rudder certainly gets our attention. But WHY? Studies shows that a semi-submerged plastic bag looks like a jelly fish which is part their diet.

Think on this. The orca could be following a wake of plastic trash, then when they catch up to the culprit, they rip his bloody rudder off. We are supposed to be smart but no-one has solved this attack puzzle in TWO years. Perhaps the answer is hiding in plain sight. Polluting the seas is polluting their world.

 

[webcraft]

I still prefer a solution depending on WHY.

I have read that Dolfins and Orca are known to ask humans for help. One incident in Norway caught the attention of the Swedish media a few month ago when a whale maybe Orca repeatedly entered a fishing harbour seeking help. It was put down because it was beyond help with stomach full of plastic garbage. It died in agony.

Letting my imagination run wild. Do I believe this is the why? No I do not, but I wanted to illustrate that without a WHY we could do more harm than good. I cannot think of a reason why the activity on friendly yachts is a cry for help however disabling a boats rudder certainly gets our attention. But WHY? Studies shows that a semi-submerged plastic bag looks like a jelly fish which is part their diet.

Think on this. The orca could be following a wake of plastic trash, then when they catch up to the culprit, they rip his bloody rudder off. We are supposed to be smart but no-one has solved this attack puzzle in TWO years. Perhaps the answer is hiding in plain sight. Polluting the seas is polluting their world.

Most cruising boats do NOT leave plastic trash in their wake.

- W

 

[Zing]

I still prefer a solution depending on WHY.

I have read that Dolfins and Orca are known to ask humans for help. One incident in Norway caught the attention of the Swedish media a few month ago when a whale maybe Orca repeatedly entered a fishing harbour seeking help. It was put down because it was beyond help with stomach full of plastic garbage. It died in agony.

Letting my imagination run wild. Do I believe this is the why? No I do not, but I wanted to illustrate that without a WHY we could do more harm than good. I cannot think of a reason why the activity on friendly yachts is a cry for help however disabling a boats rudder certainly gets our attention. But WHY? Studies shows that a semi-submerged plastic bag looks like a jelly fish which is part their diet.

Think on this. The orca could be following a wake of plastic trash, then when they catch up to the culprit, they rip his bloody rudder off. We are supposed to be smart but no-one has solved this attack puzzle in TWO years. Perhaps the answer is hiding in plain sight. Polluting the seas is polluting their world.

I don’t know why you come to that conclusion. You could equally have said the orca ate so many rudders he went into the harbour full of contrition and a belly full of plastic, asking for forgiveness and to get help. It was too late to save him unfortunately and he was unable to spread the message to his mates that eating rudders is not too clever, so the problem continues.

 

[BurnitBlue]

Most cruising boats do NOT leave plastic trash in their wake.

- W

Well somebody does. So perhaps, because Orca cannot get at the culprits who perhaps live on an Island in Scotland, they bide their time and get them at sea

 

[nortada]

As this is such an important issue, possibly the Moderators could make Orca Attacks a stickie in Liveaboard Link?

Reporting this post.

Many thanks Moderators.??

 

[Tradewinds]

Deleted.

 

[greeny]

I still prefer a solution depending on WHY.

I have read that Dolfins and Orca are known to ask humans for help. One incident in Norway caught the attention of the Swedish media a few month ago when a whale maybe Orca repeatedly entered a fishing harbour seeking help. It was put down because it was beyond help with stomach full of plastic garbage. It died in agony.

Letting my imagination run wild. Do I believe this is the why? No I do not, but I wanted to illustrate that without a WHY we could do more harm than good. I cannot think of a reason why the activity on friendly yachts is a cry for help however disabling a boats rudder certainly gets our attention. But WHY? Studies shows that a semi-submerged plastic bag looks like a jelly fish which is part their diet.

Think on this. The orca could be following a wake of plastic trash, then when they catch up to the culprit, they rip his bloody rudder off. We are supposed to be smart but no-one has solved this attack puzzle in TWO years. Perhaps the answer is hiding in plain sight. Polluting the seas is polluting their world.

Interesting theory. Maybe Greta's been talking to them. But if it is the reason they've got the culprit wrong. Far more rubbish is thrown off the back of large ships and flowing out to sea from the world's rivers than an average sailing boat sees in a lifetime.

My money has to be on one of the following.
Playing for fun.
Teaching young how to hunt by practising on an easy target that doesn't dodge the attack and makes an easy target.
Mistaken identity of boat with their normal prey. I don't think they're that stupid though.
Revenge for stealing their food. I'm not convinced on this one because they'd be having a go at fishing and other boats as well.
The resemblance of the rudder to a tailfin has to have something to do with it one would think.

Any other reasonable theories out there?

 

[RobbieW]

...The resemblance of the rudder to a tailfin has to have something to do with it one would think...

Thats the one I've seen either elsewhere or much earlier on these forums. The theory went that Orca disable whales by attacking the tail, practising on yacht rudders seems credible as visually similar but I found almost nothing to substantiate the theory

 

[BurnitBlue]

Interesting theory. Maybe Greta's been talking to them. But if it is the reason they've got the culprit wrong. Far more rubbish is thrown off the back of large ships and flowing out to sea from the world's rivers than an average sailing boat sees in a lifetime.

My money has to be on one of the following.
Playing for fun.
Teaching young how to hunt by practising on an easy target that doesn't dodge the attack and makes an easy target.
Mistaken identity of boat with their normal prey. I don't think they're that stupid though.
Revenge for stealing their food. I'm not convinced on this one because they'd be having a go at fishing and other boats as well.
The resemblance of the rudder to a tailfin has to have something to do with it one would think.

Any other reasonable theories out there?

Increased underwater volcanic activity probably caused by the periodic reversing of the north-south poles causing confusion about who to blame. For your tail fin resemblance I postulated the similarity to a whale's penis some time ago. Territorial defence and all that.

Nobody knows. We can only guess. I also suggested that NSA should decipher the Orca' squeeks and whistles then transmit them a message to the effect that if they do not stop messing about we will ask the aJapanese whaling fleet to turn them into Sushi.

 

[webcraft]

This may be the answer...

Anti-depredation Pinger – Fishtek Marine

- W

 

[nortada]

Anti-depredation Pinger – Fishtek Marine

Understand that the device above is designed to deter dolphins etc.

Has anybody got one and what was the success?

If they work, could be a cheap solution to a very expensive problem.

 

[Sailfree]

Anti-depredation Pinger – Fishtek Marine

Understand that the device above is designed to deter dolphins etc.

Has anybody got one and what was the success?

If they work, could be a cheap solution to a very expensive problem.

Be interested in any answers but as the attacks are relatively rare considering the number of boats on the sea its difficult to see any scientific evaluation.

Personally I tow one of my old smelly trainers behind the boat and I have never suffered an Orca attack.

Happy to sell my trainers at an appropriate price

 

[Beneteau381]

I think the main issue is not why but how to stop it.

Some type of sonic repellent seems the obvious line of enquiry.

I would also like to know how many yachts have repelled unwanted attentions by going astern.

Someone somewhere should be compiling a database.

- W

Thats what my missive to the rya said, the silence is deafening

 

[greeny]

This may be the answer...

Anti-depredation Pinger – Fishtek Marine

- W

I don't have the time right now (personal) to enter into a potentially long correspondence and subsequent action but maybe someone here could email the company and ask about these things.
What their thoughts are on the potential of the device in this application?
What is the price of the device?
Are they willing to provide a few samples for testing at sea by someone down this way.
There is a potential market for these devices or certainly something similar if proven effective.

 

[Zing]

Anti-depredation Pinger – Fishtek Marine

Understand that the device above is designed to deter dolphins etc.

Has anybody got one and what was the success?

If they work, could be a cheap solution to a very expensive problem.

An orca is the biggest member of the dolphin family, so there is every chance it will work on them the same way. Note, they use the same device for porpoises.

 

[zoidberg]

Now this may be thought irrelevant, however....

A few years ago, sailing away from Baltimore, Co. Cork, I was approached by a pod of large dolphins. They took station right on my stern, within inches of my windvane water-oar, which was painted white. The biggest was shoving the others away to get closest, clearly interested in the item, and it rolled frequently to look me right in the eye ( I was hanging over the stern just a couple of feet from the water-oar ). This behaviour went on through 20 minutes or so....

I was concerned for my gear, but they did no damage. Of course I speculated as to 'why?' and wondered if the oar was vibrating at a frequency that piqued their interest. Injured fish give off vibrations, I'm told, and certainly 'something' about my self-steering gear provoked curiosity in several of these highly intelligent mammals.