Orca attack

greeny

Well-known member
Joined
15 Jun 2004
Messages
2,384
Location
Portugal
Visit site
Sorry guys but this thread has completely lost it's original reason for being here. Turned into petty arguments that are largely irrelevant. Let's get back to genuine information sharing about the orca attacks and location along with suggestions and proposals for avoidance and actions in the event of attack. Or are my expectations of the readership too high? :):) Or my understanding of thread purpose incorrect?
 

Arcady

Active member
Joined
9 Dec 2010
Messages
642
Location
Guernsey
Visit site
Sorry guys but this thread has completely lost it's original reason for being here. Turned into petty arguments that are largely irrelevant. Let's get back to genuine information sharing about the orca attacks and location along with suggestions and proposals for avoidance and actions in the event of attack. Or are my expectations of the readership too high? :):) Or my understanding of thread purpose incorrect?

Well said. I was thinking exactly the same yesterday.
 

GHA

Well-known member
Joined
26 Jun 2013
Messages
12,517
Location
Hopefully somewhere warm
Visit site
Sorry guys but this thread has completely lost it's original reason for being here. Turned into petty arguments that are largely irrelevant. Let's get back to genuine information sharing about the orca attacks and location along with suggestions and proposals for avoidance and actions in the event of attack. Or are my expectations of the readership too high? :):) Or my understanding of thread purpose incorrect?
👍
best source of sightings / incidents must be this one here> orcas.pt and the telegram groups. Near live info. Many hundreds of safe passages based from info on there, basically stay in less than 20m depth. Might mean taking a bit longer but doable.
 

GHA

Well-known member
Joined
26 Jun 2013
Messages
12,517
Location
Hopefully somewhere warm
Visit site
Another one and quite close in by the looks of it.

I was about a mile away from that one when it happened a week ago yesterday in shallower water, he was outside the bay in deeper water than 20m from the mayday LatLong & radar. . Round about 8:30Z 7/8/2023. Salvamento are just great, they came to check I was OK first then went to tow the guy back round to Baleeira. Felt awful being unable to go help.
 

Javelin

Well-known member
Joined
3 Sep 2010
Messages
1,413
Location
Southwold
www.Southwoldboatyard.co.uk
Way back we only used to put on our echo sounders when we needed them, but these days they are on, transmitting/receiving all the time we have our nav instruments on.
I wonder if the sonar pinging from our transducers actually attract them in the first place, especially as sonar is their speciality.
 

Laser310

Well-known member
Joined
15 Sep 2014
Messages
1,382
Visit site
I wonder if the sonar pinging from our transducers actually attract them in the first place, especially as sonar is their speciality.

i'm sure sailboats make quite a bit of underwater noise from sources other than depth sounders, and i doubt Orcas need depth sounders to know where the sailboats are.
 

Adios

...
Joined
20 Sep 2020
Messages
2,390
Visit site
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?
Animals learnt to fear humans which has the benefit of keeping them away from us when we weren't hunting them. Now they just need to relearn it somehow. Send for the Japanese....
 

Adios

...
Joined
20 Sep 2020
Messages
2,390
Visit site
Let's get back to genuine information sharing about the orca attacks and location along with suggestions and proposals for avoidance and actions in the event of attack.
I'm not saying anyone should, but theoretically speaking amazon sells these Amazon.co.uk and some vegan friendly wax to coat them Amazon.co.uk and spring loaded holders Amazon.co.uk and cable ties Amazon.co.uk to fix it to the end of a spinnaker pole which already has a string running up it... just saying in theory I might prefer to have that in my hand than just standing there with my phone videoing it destroying the thing that's keeping me alive.
 

Sailfree

Well-known member
Joined
18 Jan 2003
Messages
21,555
Location
Nazare Portugal
Visit site
Another serious attack reported in Portugal News today

https://www.theportugalnews.com/new..._term=0_dc8d1864be-a7dec6a95a-[LIST_EMAIL_ID]

The rudder was bitten off. Attack by a school/pod of Orcas. In video the boat is finally lifted out and the rudder has been bitten in half.

Although i started this thread I have not been reading every post but would comment that if we need to carry life jackets, flares and life rafts it seems sensible to carry Orca attack deterrents.

Since being first reported Orca attacks now appear to be a continuous problem.
 

Zing

Well-known member
Joined
7 Feb 2014
Messages
8,055
Visit site
....if we need to carry life jackets, flares and life rafts it seems sensible to carry Orca attack deterrents.
Like what that can legally and effectively be used? There is nothing it seems to me and the official advice to sit still and be a victim isn't very appealing.
 

Buck Turgidson

Well-known member
Joined
10 Apr 2012
Messages
3,441
Location
Zürich
Visit site
Like what that can legally and effectively be used? There is nothing it seems to me and the official advice to sit still and be a victim isn't very appealing.
If they are attacking your boat and you feel your life is in danger you can use whatever you have at hand. No court will ever convict anyone for defending their life from an animal attack.
 

Graham376

Well-known member
Joined
15 Apr 2018
Messages
7,779
Location
Boat on Mooring off Faro, Home near Abergele
Visit site
If they are attacking your boat and you feel your life is in danger you can use whatever you have at hand. No court will ever convict anyone for defending their life from an animal attack.

Don't count on it, knowing how the police operate here they could still nail you for having a prohibited item on board, such as fireworks.
 
Joined
26 Dec 2001
Messages
66,651
Location
Saou
Visit site
The fireworks some have linked to previously produce a lot of smoke so could easily be spotted from a distance.
There were big splashes and smoke coming from where the splashes were, a rifle wouldn't do that, trust me on that. A shotgun with solid shot would give the splash but not the smoke afterwards.
 

greeny

Well-known member
Joined
15 Jun 2004
Messages
2,384
Location
Portugal
Visit site
Definitely looks like firecrackers from what I see in the video. They have probably been weighted down with a stone and are exploding under the surface which is reckoned to be the most effective method.
Here's a bit of good news on the tagging initiative. Apparently six more to be tagged soon.
El Gobierno marcará con transmisores a seis orcas para alertar a los veleros de su presencia en el Estrecho
Los tripulantes de un velero disparan a un grupo de orcas en el Estrecho de Gibraltar, frente a Tarifa
Localizan en Almería a los tripulantes del velero que efectuó disparos a una orca en el Estrecho
 

Zing

Well-known member
Joined
7 Feb 2014
Messages
8,055
Visit site
Bangers have to work. Put them in a plastic drinking bottle weighed down with metal so it sinks slowly. A home made depth charge. Not nice, but this isn’t nice what they are doing. It’s not acceptable play Sr. Orca.
 
Top