Orca attack

Latest numbers from Rui at Orcas.pt :-

Happy first day of June!

Interesting numbers from May: we recorded 6 incidents compared to 24 in May 2024. Let's keep that trend going! 🙌

Remember to take good care of your rudder out there. And a friendly reminder: if you encounter an orca, never stop your vessel. Instead, calmly and steadily leave the area as quickly as possible.

Stay safe on the water! 🌊

Best,

Rui

#beOrcaSafe #orcaspt
 
5.6.25. from Rui.

Ahoy everyone!

We now have at least three groups of orcas : two in Gibraltar and one in the Algarve.

Please remember that there is no zero risk in the rest of the coast.

Wish you a good, nice, and safe sailing!

Take good care of your rudder and be orca safe!

For more detailed information, please check our Telegram groups.

#beOrcasSafe #supportOrcasPT
 
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05/06/2025 Attack 17,6 miles W of Trafalgar. Catamaran, two rudders broken, Salvamento, Salvamar Enif towed them safely to Barbate #orcas
 
6.6.25
Ahoy everyone!

Here's an important update: We now have a fourth group of orcas confirmed in the Bay of Biscay, near the North Spain Coast.

Remember to stay vigilant and be orca safe. For more detailed information and real-time updates, please check our Telegram groups.

#beOrcasSafe #supportOrcasPT
 
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ducked said:
Dont think they use antifouling at all. Even the new stuff probably wouldn't be a recommended part of a skincare routine.
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OTOH if you could interest an Orca pod in the use of your hull as a back rub, you might significantly reduce your need for fouling removal, mutual benefit stylee.

Tricky to keep them off the rudders though
 
Is it a reasonable assumption that the current number of attacks are much lower due to a lot less sailing due to the risk of attacks?
When I had my boat in Lagos I did an annual trip to Gibraltar. If I was still in Lagos I would have less enthusiasm as to venturing far !
 
LinTeal said:
Is it a reasonable assumption that the current number of attacks are much lower due to a lot less sailing due to the risk of attacks?
When I had my boat in Lagos I did an annual trip to Gibraltar. If I was still in Lagos I would have less enthusiasm as to venturing far !
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Dont think so personally. I think people are making better preparations, routing differently and timing their trip outside the higher risk times. orca.pt gives people all they need to know to keep themselves informed on local situations at given times. Most, but not all boats that are damaged are sailing outside the recommended parameters. i.e. depth and timing are everything.
 
greeny said:
Dont think so personally. I think people are making better preparations, routing differently and timing their trip outside the higher risk times. orca.pt gives people all they need to know to keep themselves informed on local situations at given times. Most, but not all boats that are damaged are sailing outside the recommended parameters. i.e. depth and timing are everything.
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It has been said that the only boats still being damaged are those being sailed by delivery skippers for whom time is money and so sail straight through the Orca hotspots. I don't think that any members of the orcas.pt group have been caught out so far this year.
 
Thresher said:
It has been said that the only boats still being damaged are those being sailed by delivery skippers for whom time is money and so sail straight through the Orca hotspots. I don't think that any members of the orcas.pt group have been caught out so far this year.
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Delivery skippers do have a duty of care to their crew and the boat. There's no point getting half way with a broken boat.
 
I wondered about the electric shark repellent used on the Niad swim from Cuba to Miami, but it seems sharks use specific close range detection of a targets bioelectric field, so Orca probably wouldn't be so much affected.
 
Went out fishing in the Rib today off Portimao Portugal. Most of the time I was in 50m plus depth. Several boats sailed past clearly on passage. Further offshore than I was. Given that there have been several attacks and damage sustained in the past 2 weeks off this coast and orcas are being seen here at the moment by the dolphin trip boats, it does make you wonder why sailors continue to take the "deep" route through the area rather than staying shallow and following the stay shallow recommendations.
 
greeny said:
Went out fishing in the Rib today off Portimao Portugal. Most of the time I was in 50m plus depth. Several boats sailed past clearly on passage. Further offshore than I was. Given that there have been several attacks and damage sustained in the past 2 weeks off this coast and orcas are being seen here at the moment by the dolphin trip boats, it does make you wonder why sailors continue to take the "deep" route through the area rather than staying shallow and following the stay shallow recommendations.
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I'm not so sure that sailing shallow along the Algarve is of much benefit, bearing in mind most of the tuna nets are located <20m depth close to the shore, indicating that's where most fish run and presumably many orcas trying to catch them.
 
Graham376 said:
I'm not so sure that sailing shallow along the Algarve is of much benefit, bearing in mind most of the tuna nets are located <20m depth close to the shore, indicating that's where most fish run and presumably many orcas trying to catch them.
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But for some reason the Iberian Orcas dont seem to like shallow water. According to orcas.pt, of the recent sightings along that coast, off Lagos, the minimum depth of an orca sighting is about 70m.
Yesterday there was an attack off Ayamonte in over 100m. Ooh-er, I'll be going from Ayamonte to Culatra in a few days time and will definitely stay within the 20m contour.
As to Greeny's question. Why are boats sailing in deep water? Maybe, like me they thought that the Orcas had moved on from the Algarve. Im glad I saw your post greeny, I might not have checked before setting off.
 
Thresher said:
But for some reason the Iberian Orcas dont seem to like shallow water. According to orcas.pt, of the recent sightings along that coast, off Lagos, the minimum depth of an orca sighting is about 70m.
Yesterday there was an attack off Ayamonte in over 100m. Ooh-er, I'll be going from Ayamonte to Culatra in a few days time and will definitely stay within the 20m contour.
As to Greeny's question. Why are boats sailing in deep water? Maybe, like me they thought that the Orcas had moved on from the Algarve. Im glad I saw your post greeny, I might not have checked before setting off.
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Easy enough to stay inside of the nets along the coast but watch out for shallow water at the Faro end, the sandbank has extended south so last time, we went inside the cardinal.
 
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