Orca attack

[sailingmartin]

I am on 2 FB groups that are constantly pestered by orca-huggers saying we should leave them alone, stay out of their domain etc.

Yes, there is another of what you call orca huggers pestering you here too. Have been up and down the Spanish/Portuguese coast three times in the past three years and agree that we should heed the advice of both governments. Sail close inshore and in daylight. Very scary but I prefer this to any form of cull. We have to share the sea with the orcas.

 

[phanakapan]

We’re in Povoa Da Varzim at the moment- worked our way from Falmouth-Brest-A Coruna then short daylight only hops in flat seas, staying (relatively) close to shore. We’ve hand steered all the way each time, as we didn’t want to risk our Aries rudder, or compromise our rather elderly autopilot. On more than one occasion we’ve been in the same area as an orca attack, but have only seen (many, delightful) dolphins. We’ve been held up here by the recent bad weather. I went out today to snag a couple of bags of sand from the beach. We have means of making annoying sounds on board (I don’t just mean my violin and recorders….) Thing is, we’re slow and tired, and the next couple of hops look like we won’t be able to do them in daylight. I’m honestly getting scared, and wondering whether it’s worth it. We should be ok- steel boat with solid steel full skeg hung rudder… but add orcas to Schengen/weather/pandemic… I dunno. Today felt a beautiful day to be a cruising sailor then I read about the sinking ?

 

[Wansworth]

I think most of the Galician sailers stay within the rias and making daylight trips between the rias on in shore aroutes.It’s more the voyagers passing by that run the most risk one an only hope it doesn’t end with a family being killed through the actions of the Orcas,one French family were towed into Vivero recently with rudder destroyed and the steering pedestal broken

 

[Wansworth]

We’re in Povoa Da Varzim at the moment- worked our way from Falmouth-Brest-A Coruna then short daylight only hops in flat seas, staying (relatively) close to shore. We’ve hand steered all the way each time, as we didn’t want to risk our Aries rudder, or compromise our rather elderly autopilot. On more than one occasion we’ve been in the same area as an orca attack, but have only seen (many, delightful) dolphins. We’ve been held up here by the recent bad weather. I went out today to snag a couple of bags of sand from the beach. We have means of making annoying sounds on board (I don’t just mean my violin and recorders….) Thing is, we’re slow and tired, and the next couple of hops look like we won’t be able to do them in daylight. I’m honestly getting scared, and wondering whether it’s worth it. We should be ok- steel boat with solid steel full skeg hung rudder… but add orcas to Schengen/weather/pandemic… I dunno. Today felt a beautiful day to be a cruising sailor then I read about the sinking ?

Short days coming…..safe sailing

 

[Mistroma]

Goodbye yacht Smousse

Fortunately during the day and in benign conditions, all 4 crew safe.

- W

Prompted me to check marinetraffic in order to check how close they were to the shore. It looks as if they were about 14-15nm offshore, beating in a Southerly direction. I think the wind was moderate SE that day but not certain and it makes sense of their track. You can see them aiming slightly offshore on a steady track and then suddenly turning very sharply to starboard. The seemed to continue in that direction for around an hour and 20 minutes with a couple of small changes. I might have a closer look to estimate speed but it doesn't look as if they just suddenly stopped at the initial direction change. I think they might have stopped 2-3 times for a few minutes but not certain.

I hope more detail appears but it looks as if keeping 15nm out in daylight can still attract attention. Not really very useful information but I'd probably hug the coast. Pretty much what I used to do anyway but I was usually going from Baiona to Viano do Costelo anyway. Looks as if they came from Mugía about 90nm away and therefore doing a longer passage with day and night sailing.

 

[Sandy]

As I posted before , at the very less they could tag these pods to give people a chance to avoid them .

What sort of tag? How would those on passage know where the troublesome pods were?

 

[Wansworth]

Ship towing a decoy yacht look alike entices orcas the they are shot with a marker that can be received on AIS

 

[Fr J Hackett]

Ship towing a decoy yacht look alike entices orcas the they are shot with a marker that can be received on AIS

Or alternatively a big harpoon with an explosive head.

 

[Wansworth]

It’s

Or alternatively a big harpoon with an explosive head.

Be nice to orcas Day?

 

[Daydream believer]

When sailing north to Le Pouligen, with my son as crew, the wind died & we started motoring. Suddenly the engine revved for just a few seconds, then returned to normal. It did this quite a few times, as if the prop was cavitating. We were somewhat concerned & my son looked over the stern to see if he could see any thing. He got an awful shock because sticking out from under the stern was a dirty great fin, from the aft end of a fish.

It was a large dolphin & several had appeared. They seemed to be doing something that affected the fixed prop, but we could not imagine what it was. Bearing in mind the boat has a saildrive & just behind that is the rudder. So either they were blowing air in front of it whilst another swam behind or the one behind was blowing water forward, we do not know. The dolphin came & went for a good half hour & a similar thing happened a couple of days later. The engine revved, we looked over the back & sure enough a dirty great tail fin stuck out the back.

When we went into Le Pouligen, to the amusement of the yachtsmen, one dolphin followed us & came alongside the pontoon. I was able to kneel down on the pontoon & stroke its back as it stopped alongside. for a few seconds

 

[sailaboutvic]

What sort of tag? How would those on passage know where the troublesome pods were?

A GPS tag this could be display on a web site showing where them particular pods where .
It wouldn't be difficult, everything from monkeys to croc get tag these days and let face it the Orcas mob are getting plenty of dosh to do what ? .

 

[Sandy]

A GPS tag this could be display on a web site showing where them particular pods where .
It wouldn't be difficult, everything from monkeys to croc get tag these days and let face it the Orcas mob are getting plenty of dosh to do what ? .

That would mean that all vessels would need to a) have a internet connected device, b) it was charged and c) they were close to the shore.

Looking at the Last interactions | Orca iberica website is exactly where the reported interactions are happening!

 

[capnsensible]

About Japan: A Teacher's Resource | Canned Whale Meat | Japan Society

 

[sailaboutvic]

That would mean that all vessels would need to a) have a internet connected device, b) it was charged and c) they were close to the shore.

Looking at the Last interactions | Orca iberica website is exactly where the reported interactions are happening!

Sorry what your point , we can get a internet connection 10 mioes of shore just on a dongle.
At the very less before leaving port people would have a good idea where the pods are anyway and can make a decision to leave or nor or what direction to sail.
Al less unlike now there not sailing blind and hoping for the best .

As for the the report they way out of time by the time they put them on the web site and there period of times there not added any thing .

 

[Graham376]

We’re in Povoa Da Varzim at the moment- worked our way from Falmouth-Brest-A Coruna then short daylight only hops in flat seas, staying (relatively) close to shore. ...................Thing is, we’re slow and tired, and the next couple of hops look like we won’t be able to do them in daylight.

Mostly day hops south from Povoa, Leixoes, Sao Jacinto anchorage near Aveiro, Figuera da Foz, Nazare, Peniche, Cascais. Sines. Longest leg will be from Sines but once around the corner, you can anchor in Sagres bay.

 

[alexsailor]

shooting orcas is the only way I would react to such attack. glock will do.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

shooting orcas is the only way I would react to such attack. glock will do.

I doubt it would, a bullet looses most of it's energy in the first few inches when shot into water.

 

[doug748]

I am on 2 FB groups that are constantly pestered by orca-huggers saying we should leave them alone, stay out of their domain etc.

I have had one guy saying he is reporting me to the GNR for incitement to commit a crime because I have supported the use of pingers and firecrackers, and another guy saying he was going to set up a vigilante army to hunt down the orca haters.

Meanwhile sailing on fhis coast has utterly changed. No-one knows how many pods are involved now, or where the next attack is likely to be, and it is only a matter of time before someone dies.

- W

Any more news about the firecrackers that the fishermen use to guard their nets? Are they freely available over there?

.

 

[capnsensible]

That will sort them out, the pesky rudder munchers.

 

[chrishscorp]

shooting orcas is the only way I would react to such attack. glock will do.

My 10'' old factory butchers knife sharpened so you can virtually shave with it, cable tied to a stout boat hook will leave them wishing they were looking for something edible rather than a GRP boat