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nnb4oc · 26-01-2019, 09:57

Well, the improbable happened as I was coming into San Diego Bay. About two nm offshore I was hand steering and dodging crab pods and kelp beds as one does in the area. In 200ft of water, doing 6knts under motor, my Tayana 37 had a violent impact that shuttered her to an abrupt stop and knocking me hard over to port. Within seconds, two more violent impacts, followed by a high water alarm. The next minutes we're controlled chaos as I tried to think through what just happened.

Blah, blah, blah, blah, boat damage, insurance, boat yard, blah, blah, blah.....

Now the point of the post. The boat has been repaired, thoroughly inspected and sea trialed. All good. But, I'm not going to minimize the psychological effect that it's had on me! I'm set to head North soon to PNW and it's all I can think about. It was violent, scary and the first such occurance in 52 years. I've broken a chain plate, but you replace it with new and move on, as well as other numerable occurances. Now my mind is always thinking of what lurks beneath! I suppose that the odds are similar to being struck by lightning but if you were, would you not be frazzled in lightning storms?

I'm sure time will sooth the nerves, just wonder if other salty dogs will admit the same and speak about the psychology if it??

SSgtPitt · 26-01-2019, 10:04

Was it truly a whale strike, multiple strikes? I can worry about that too for a while.

rsn48 · 26-01-2019, 10:09

Living in BC coastal waters, yours is the first story I've heard of a whale strike, not saying it hasn't happened, just not a common occurrence. But I decided to google whale strikes, this is the first link I opened:

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/insig...vessel-strikes

nnb4oc · 26-01-2019, 10:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by SSgtPitt

Was it truly a whale strike, multiple strikes? I can worry about that too for a while.

Nothing was seen but based on the damage, the prevailing theory was an initial impact at the starboard bow that knocked me over, angered it, and it came back for two more, but, who knows

svHyLyte · 26-01-2019, 10:22

If the event was in the early Spring, its possible that you may have inadvertently sailed between a female Gray Whale and her calf doing their annual migration north. If so, the whale may have taken umbrage at the intrusion and they have been known to become vary aggressive in such circumstances. (Is your bottom paint black by any chance?) On that coast, one must be very watchful for whales during the period between mid-December and late April (particularly) and especially so in the vicinity of near shore kelp beds.

The odds are in your favor but the only way to overcome the psychological impact is to work your way through it by "getting back in the saddle".

FWIW...

PamlicoTraveler · 26-01-2019, 10:33

Well, I can relate to the risk. In the 2012 ARC Europe the boat Outer Limits struck a whale, 2 days out of Bermuda going east. The crew did actually see the whale after the collision. We were 50 miles away and had been in contact with them shortly before the collision, around sundown.

They had two hull breaches in the bow and were unable to stop the water flow or pump it out fast enough. The crew was safely rescued by a freighter and the boat was left to sink.

It's a real risk, although probably quite rare. Glad you are OK.

zeehag · 26-01-2019, 10:59

this is migration season.
stay aware. could get difficult if between calf and momma...
glad you are ok and repaired. be safe/

**boatman61** · 26-01-2019, 11:55

I am massive.. get outa the way..!!!

Sometimes this attitude does not turn out well..

**JPA Cate** · 26-01-2019, 12:11

First off, that was D--N SCARY! Of course you were emotionally shaken up as well as physically, and, just as you were able to make the boat come right, you can do it for yourself.

I think you probably did get between a Mom and her calf, and I also think it would be unlikely to happen again. The main reason is that in travelling to the PNW, you will not be often close inshore, and your general direction of travel is more or less parallel to their path. We've often had humpbacks too close for comfort, and we do have black bottom paint. We've had the moms bring the youngster over for a careful look at us, and it will make eye contact with whoever's on deck for it to see. My bet is that most whales are pretty aware of us, with our swishing through the water. They do sleep on the surface, though, so you might run up on a sleeping one. That happened to some friends of ours, and it woke up the whale, but the whale did not attack the boat. Attacks are rare.

However, if just "getting back in the saddle" doesn't work for you, you might seek counseling, or try meditating, or both. Those can be good ways to heal from the trauma.

Ann

TeddyDiver · 26-01-2019, 12:46

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOTGnizcP7g

Just to ease your pain

**JPA Cate** · 26-01-2019, 13:29

^^^^An attempt at desensitization therapy?

Ann

longjonsilver · 26-01-2019, 13:51

i'm

Phycology from wikipedia: Phycology (from Greek φῦκος, phykos, "seaweed"; and -λογία, -logia) is the scientific study of algae.

So we get "The scientific study of algae of a whale strike" . What, pray tell, do algae have to do with a whale strike?

**boatman61** · 26-01-2019, 14:06

Breaching while feeding perhaps..

alctel · 26-01-2019, 17:26

Apparently, boats with red anti-fouling got hit more often than other colours for whatever reason.

I've never hit a whale but saw a stupid planing powerboat hit (or come very very close to) a sleeping minke on the surface up in the broughtons last summer. Up there are so many people rushing around at 8+ knots with virtually no watch I feel the whales get pretty good at dodging.