Orca attack

[Laser310]

As previously mentioned by #Doug748 and others, the Whale-pal……

So this is as i had sort of guessed.

Fishermen want to avoid by-catch.., and so do porpoises....

Porpoises are pretty smart, supposedly.., and it seems like they have learned to associate the pings with nets, which they know are dangerous.., and so they stay far enough away to avoid getting caught.

It's a warning.., but not something they find uncomfortable in any way..,

From the "research" page:

"The porpoise-PAL apparently increases popoise awareness. It does not act as a deterrent: the distance of the animals to buoy 3 was only slightly higher than to the other buoys. Presumably, PAL enhances porpoises to acoustically detect the deadly nets early enough to be able to avoid entanglement.

The problem with the Orcas is different; they _want_ to engage with and damage sailing vessels...,

So, what's needed is something that makes the local environment uncomfortable for them.., uncomfortable enough that they stay away.

I think some sort of fireworks thrown in the water will probably have the best chance of deterring Orcas once they are on your trail.

These pingers are just an advertisement.

full disclosure: I was on a boat last fall that carried pingers (obtained from a fishing supply company) leaving Gibraltar and on the way to Grand Canary.

We didn't trail them behind, but thought we would put them in the water if we saw any Orcas; we didn't see any.

 

[st599]

The CA and others have already suggested a known solution that won't injure the Orcas - sand.

 

[Supine Being]

Working on the assumption that sand, suspended in the water, disrupts the orcas' sonar, how long do we need to keep chucking it before they get bored and wander off? How do we distribute it effectively? And why doesn't this wonder material deter them from chasing seals up beaches?

I sincerely doubt that sand, especially in the quantities that a cruising boat could reasonably be expected to carry, would be any sort of deterrent. Very happy to be proved wrong, however.

 

[Wansworth]

Working on the assumption that sand, suspended in the water, disrupts the orcas' sonar, how long do we need to keep chucking it before they get bored and wander off? How do we distribute it effectively? And why doesn't this wonder material deter them from chasing seals up beaches?

I sincerely doubt that sand, especially in the quantities that a cruising boat could reasonably be expected to carry, would be any sort of deterrent. Very happy to be proved wrong, however.

And they attack not only in flat calm conditions

 

[adamstjohn]

I was talking today to a neighbour in our marina (Ocean Quay in Southampton), who was on a yacht that got attacked by orcas while sailing up from the Med a week or two ago. (Sorry - I don't recall the exact location but could find out). He said they got rid of the attackers by using a loud noise under the water. They had a long metal tube, like a scaffold pole, suspended with the end in the water. Then they attacked the top end with an angle grinder, sending very loud distressing sound waves down the tube into the water. They had sustained some damage to the rudder but the attackers left quite quickly after they started the

I was talking today to a neighbour in our marina (Ocean Quay in Southampton), who was on a yacht that got attacked by orcas while sailing up from the Med a week or two ago. (Sorry - I don't recall the exact location but could find out). He said they got rid of the attackers by using a loud noise under the water. They had a long metal tube, like a scaffold pole, suspended with the end in the water. Then they attacked the top end with an angle grinder, sending very loud distressing sound waves down the tube into the water. They had sustained some damage to the rudder but the attackers left quite quickly after they started the noise.

or send fog horn blasts down a tube into the water?

 

[Koeketiene]

The CA and others have already suggested a known solution that won't injure the Orcas - sand.

That, to me, seems akin to suggesting sitting under a tree as a cure for seasickness.

 

[Laser310]

The CA and others have already suggested a known solution that won't injure the Orcas - sand.

If it's a "known" solution.., there must already be many cases where sailboats have successfully used sand to deter Orca attacks.

Can you cite a few of these cases for us?

 

[st599]

If it's a "known" solution.., there must already be many cases where sailboats have successfully used sand to deter Orca attacks.

Can you cite a few of these cases for us?

The CA can, and does. They say it has been used by fishing boats and at least one yacht.

 

[greeny]

Pour a bag of sand off the stern while you're sailing at 5knts plus. It's not there for long. Then another bag and then another. How much can your average boat carry? Looking at reported orca attacks they can last up to an hour or so. Or at least until the rudder breaks off and the plaything is no longer. The problem with saying anything works is that you don't know whether an attack is imminent or not. Not all orcas are guilty sometimes the innocent ones just come to have a look, as they always have done down here. So some innocent orcas come close, I pour some sand over and they leave having seen all they want to see.
The only thing I have seen "work" has been firecrackers on one occasion off Faro last year. But still not conclusive. They came very close alongside and then one dropped back and seemed to be approaching the rudder so a cracker was deployed with a weight attached to sink it. The one at the stern went down and the other two veered away from the boat and they didn't follow us any longer. They clearly did not like the bang but were they the attacking orcas or friendly ones?

 

[BurnitBlue]

The big picture. What do Orcas do when arracking a boat? I know of only two persistant patterns of behaviour. They nudge the bow, and also turn or nudge the rudders. They nudge the bow of the boat to turn it often 360 degrees. Ditto the rudders to turn the boat. The common denometer is that the Orcas are trying to turn the boat. I have no idea why but they seem to have reason.

 

[billskip]

and also turn or nudge the rudders.

More like biting, breaking off and swimming off with the rudders.
I dont think any would complain about a nudge here or there.

 

[newtothis]

More like biting, breaking off and swimming off with the rudders.
I dont think any would complain about a nudge here or there.

There must be some Heath Robinson way to attach anti-bite devices to rudders for deployment near orcas. I bet they don't look quite so tasty with two-foot long blades sticking out horizontally.

 

[BurnitBlue]

More like biting, breaking off and swimming off with the rudders.
I dont think any would complain about a nudge here or there.

They can only bite things for grip. There may be no muscle mechanism for gentle biting. Just the muscle memory fo chomping on a wrigglig seal. They are not that smart, after thousabds of years they have npt even developeid a snorkel so they ccan get a good nights sleep.

 

[doug748]

August YM has extensive coverage concerning the the attacks. Mainly a rehash of all the standard post modern reactions to a great range of 21st century problems:

No solutions are in sight, we have no ideas and plan to do nothing
It's exaggerated
Whatever you do to protect yourself is against the law
The attacks may cease
......Anyway it's your fault.

It includes the standard washed out editorial and this insight from an Iberian "expert":

" Sailors in general overestimate the safety of the boats in which they set to sea. The Orcas do,among other things,restore the natural order and tell us humans that we are vulnerable in something so fragile"


.

 

[Laser310]

restore the natural order

another part of the natural order was that for 1000's of years, humans hunted and ate whales

would he like to see that part of the natural order restored?

 

[BurnitBlue]

another part of the natural order was that for 1000's of years, humans hunted and ate whales

would he like to see that part of the natural order restored?

I would. They are no use to me. In fact they are in my way. They are a failed species neither at home on land or sea. They have found a niche in the environment and good luck to them. But they are now attacking human activity at sea. We have as much right to be there as they do, they being air breathing and all. They are endangered not from humans but from their inadequate choice (or lack of one) between land or sea which makes them vulnerable on two fronts.

Lets be honest, how many seamen would give a fig about what became of an orca that swam away with the boats rudder in tatters. Would the seaman wish them bon voyage.and a long life?

 

[Supine Being]

I would. They are no use to me. In fact they are in my way. They are a failed species neither at home on land or sea. They have found a niche in the environment and good luck to them. But they are now attacking human activity at sea. We have as much right to be there as they do, they being air breathing and all. They are endangered not from humans but from their inadequate choice (or lack of one) between land or sea which makes them vulnerable on two fronts.

Lets be honest, how many seamen would give a fig about what became of an orca that swam away with the boats rudder in tatters. Would the seaman wish them bon voyage.and a long life?

Er... wow!

Woe betide any species that gets in this guy's way. Death awaits, but not before a thorough and damning critique of their ancestors' evolutionary choices.

 

[Wansworth]

Would the Homo Sapien,stepped aside as he was attacked byNeandertals it’s part of life’s rich pattern

 

[Supine Being]

Would the Homo Sapien,stepped aside as he was attacked byNeandertals it’s part of life’s rich pattern

It seems likely that it didn't happen that way, but anyway...

Did Humans Once Wipe Out Neanderthals? Here's What We Know

 

[Wansworth]

Looks

It seems likely that it didn't happen that way, but anyway...

Did Humans Once Wipe Out Neanderthals? Here's What We Know

an interesting article,thanks