Killer whales launch ‘orchestrated’ attacks on sailing boats

[Boatyarddog]

Originally Posted by B23iL23

here's a clip from the one off A Coruna. A HL36 being delivered by Halcyon got it and ended up disabled and needed a tow. When they lifted the boat there were bite marks on the rudder and hull.

I love these animals but if there's a pod starting to do this it can only end badly. It's very very unusual behaviour.

Ha, that shows nothing.
Clickbait

[Sailing4Jesus]

Those Killer Whales most likly ran accross some discarded Bundles of Marijuana that had been thrown overboard and ate them. Thuse explines their aggressive behavior, MAYBE. Thats what it is also called WHACKY WEED.

Senior Chief

[Chotu]

I think this whole thread shows we don’t know a damn thing about orcas. LOL

There are certainly a lot of old stories about sea monsters and killer whales sinking boats back in the day.

Maybe they are getting into that again.

Those squids from the stories were semi-recently proven to be real. Rogue waves are now real. Maybe some whales are just aggressive.

[owly]

Originally Posted by mikedefieslife

I was saying you can't complain. It's your own fault for being in its habitat. Same, if my boat get hit or hits a whale. Sure, I won't be happy but I can't really complain about the whale as I've got no really business being in it's habitat.

Your statements about "habitat" are absurd nonsense. The entirety of planet earth is "human habitat" with the possible exception of undersea and the arctic and antarctic. To suggest that we "don't belong" on a boat at sea, or walking in the forest is outrageous.... It may be valid for some people who are incapable of existing outside urban areas, but otherwise humans have inhabited forests and oceans for many thousands of years. Modern urban existence is not the normal human habitat. I feel far more uncomfortable, and on edge when I visit a city than I do at sea or in the forest or desert. It's like stepping into an anthill or beehive. I can't wait to put it behind me. But more and more people are accepting this as somehow "normal".

[Montanan]

I am awaiting for this thread to drift into a Colreg debate.

Who should have been the give way and the stand on party?

I will propose the motor sailing craft likely should have stayed clear of the swimmers, especially as to avoiding an entire pod of swimmers.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by owly

Your statements about "habitat" are absurd nonsense. The entirety of planet earth is "human habitat" with the possible exception of undersea and the arctic and antarctic.

It may be as much our habitat as theirs, but I suspect the point mikedefieslife is making is that we know we're intruding into their space, and can act accordingly. We're not sure what Orcas know, but homo sapiens are capable of abstract and empathetic thought.

... at least some of us are .


(No slight meant or intended Owly).

[Montanan]

Speaking of regulations. Well it appears that the collision is the fault of the boaters.

Image below is of THE WHALE WARNING SIGNAL FLAG:

IF YOU HAVE A FLAG:
When you encounter whales within 0.65 miles (1km) of you raise the flag
Slow down to 7 knots or less
Maintain compliance with Be Whale Wise Guidelines and laws
Turn off fish finders and/or depth sounders.

IF YOU SEE A FLAG:
Whales are in the vicinity of the boat or land station flying the flag.
Slow down to 7 knots or less
Maintain compliance with Be Whale Wise Guidelines and laws.
Turn off fish finders and/or depth sounders

Reviewing the new rules for boating around orcas in the USA and in Canada.

Puget Sound Partnership

In May 2019, Gov. Jay Inslee of Washington signed into law new regulations about operating vessels near Southern Resident orcas:
Boats to stay 300 yards from Southern Resident orcas or killer whales on either side.
Boats to stay 400 yards out of Southern Resident orca’s path/in front and behind the whales
Boats to go slow (<7 knots) within ½ mile of Southern Resident orcas
Disengage engines if whales appear within 300 yards.
Boats to stay 100 yards from all other marine mammals (e.g. humpback whales, gray whales, sea lions and seals).

Canada

Boats must stay 400 metres from orcas or killer whales in all southern BC coastal waters between the Campbell River and just north of Ucluelet
(Note: In Canada, vessels flying a purple Authorized Vessel “AV” flag are authorized to approach non-Southern Resident Killer Whales up to 200 metres.)
Boats must stay 200 metres from all killer whales in other Canadian Pacific waters and from all whales, dolphins or porpoises if they are resting or with a calf.
Boats must stay 100 metres from all other whales, dolphins and porpoises in Canadian Pacific waters.
Boats must stay out of Whale Sanctuaries / Interim Sanctuary Zones located at Swiftsure Bank, off the east coast of Saturna Island and south-west of North Pender Island (June 1 through November 30, 2020).

Refrain from fishing, where possible, withing 1,000 metres or half mile of killer whales.


The new regulations are intended to help improve conditions for Southern Resident orcas in Puget Sound.
Jessica Stocking, marine endangered species lead biologist at the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), explained how the new rules will benefit orcas. “Orcas use sonar to communicate with each other and to find food, so extra underwater sounds can be detrimental to their daily activities,” she said. “There are three factors identified as responsible for the Southern Resident Killer Whale’s decline: quantity and quality of food, pollutants in the water, and vessel noise and disturbance.

In 2019, a high percentage of the reported boating violations that happened near Southern Resident orcas had to do with boaters going too fast when in the same area as orcas. The new emphasis for boaters to go slower than 7 knots when within a half mile of orcas is intended to keep folks mindful of giving orcas space, keeping waters quiet, and reducing the possibility of their vessels striking orcas.
“Orcas travel in groups and can change direction and surface unexpectedly, and slowing down decreases the risk of contact,” Stocking said. “Another important reason to slow down is that faster boats are generally louder, and noise disrupts orcas’ ability to find food and socialize. Just as you and I might have to yell to talk to each other in a crowded restaurant, orcas raise their voices with boats nearby. By slowing down and giving these whales some extra space, boaters are taking part in small actions that can have a big impact in helping to quiet the waters and support killer whale protections.”

You can purchase THE WHALE WARNING FLAG at this link: https://www.sjcmrc.org/other-content...-warning-flag/

So now you know the rest of the story.

[MicHughV]

I vote we get our politicians to set up an orca boat ramming complaint department, whereby the harmed party can lay out his/her claim in full detail for review and so getting the insurance industry to add a line to any boaters insurance program for orca ramming damage. The orca can also present his/her reason for the ramming

The complaint department can then hand out fines or jail time to the offending orca as they see fit. However, being experienced with the Insurance business, they will find a dozen loopholes to deny a claim, so the orca in question is likely to get off scot free.

Does anyone see a problem with this idea ?

[jtsailjt]

Originally Posted by mikedefieslife

You can't walk through the forrest then complain when the tiger bites you. It's the tiger's natural habitat and somewhere you have no business being. It's the same at sea.

A harpoon is likely to stop a whale as much as getting a splinter is likely to stop you.

Also, is 'attack' the right word? for all anyone knows the Orcas were just playing with the boats for shits and giggles. If an animal bites or hurts a human, humans automatically think 'attack' since they can't seem to comprehend the behaviour of the animal.

If a tiger bit you, I bet that with no hesitation at all you’d very quickly have a change of heart regarding your right to complain very loudly no matter where it happened. You’d demonstrate your change of heart by screaming at the top of your lungs, I know I would! We are all denizens of the earth, and whether we walk on 2 legs or 4 legs or fly or swim, we are all part of nature and nowhere is it written that humans “have no business” being in the forest or the ocean or anywhere else they have the ability to venture, just the same as all other animals.

I do agree with you that it’s a mistake to jump to the conclusion that these incidences are intended to be attacks and might be just as likely to be a form of play or exploration. Hopefully they will stop before anyone is seriously hurt but no matter what their intent, if they persist so sailors start to feel threatened it’s only a matter of time before someone defends themself and their boat. So hopefully we’ll figure out what’s causing this behavior and how to avoid it before any humans, or orcas, get hurt.

[B23iL23]

Well except that the collision wasn't in the U.S. or Canada so doesn't apply, and I don't think the whales understand the regs anyway. [emoji3]

Originally Posted by Montanan

Speaking of regulations. Well it appears that the collision is the fault of the boaters.

...

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by MicHughV

I vote we get our politicians to set up an orca boat ramming complaint department, whereby the harmed party can lay out his/her claim in full detail for review and so getting the insurance industry to add a line to any boaters insurance program for orca ramming damage. The orca can also present his/her reason for the ramming

The complaint department can then hand out fines or jail time to the offending orca as they see fit. However, being experienced with the Insurance business, they will find a dozen loopholes to deny a claim, so the orca in question is likely to get off scot free.

Does anyone see a problem with this idea ?

Yep. Doing a little time in the tank (at Sea World) will show em who’s boss! Ha ha ha

[boatman1]

September of 1976 sailing south maybe 15 miles northeast of Provincetown on Cape Cod: 31’ sloop doing about 7 knots broad reaching with wind in the NE at 20-25. I believe the bluefin tuna were running, as there were sport fishing rigs out trying to catch something: I was trolling a couple of feathers. We’d been seeing whales of various descriptions for most of the day. A pod of orcas was cruising along maybe a quarter of a mile away, and I noticed one male (real tall dorsal fin) bear off from the group and haul ass towards the lures that I was trolling. He tore past those and swam up my wake, going real fast. The seas were big enough that as he approached the stern and passed by on my port side he and I were briefly about even vertically, eyeball to eyeball. What a beast! He was hardly moving his tail and had to be going 20 knots, maybe more? And folks, this wasn’t a bottle nose dolphin at 8-10 feet long and weighing 5-600 pounds: this boy was a brute. I’ve always assumed that he was a scout for the pod, and that this was somewhat normal behavior for them. The water was clear enough that he could see my boat (and I believe me, sitting in the cockpit) and determined that we were not a threat to the pod. Folks who don’t really like going to sea in small(ish) boats have asked me why I spend good money to be uncomfortable bouncing around on the ocean: that brief moment off Cape Cod is one of the reasons. It was magnificent.

[Manateeman]

Please read my post #11 about bioacoustics and marine mammals.
There is a lengthy article in The Observer by Susan Smittie which helps to explain the interaction between orcas and tuna fishermen in Spain. If someone would kindly post this article in its entirety ( I’m just not that computer savvy)
I would be most grateful.
If I find anything in marine mammal news which contradicts my statements or Ms Smittie’s article, I will post it here.
My knowledge of bioacoustics was centered upon manatees, their interaction with vessel noise and their abilities in frequency differentiation. They can and do interact with humans and like to play. Manatees can and like to surf.
I believe Orcas are far more intelligent. They enjoy being towed and grabbing onto a rudder might be a game. They are very protective of family and like elephants ( relatives of manatees) do become enraged if they sense attack toward the young. I would not use the word orchestrated attack. The group acoustically communicates they are under attack and repels the attackers.
Musk ox, elephants, orcas, soccer moms...pretty much react the same.
This behavior is now being characterized as Crazed Orcas or Bewildering to science. Nonsense. Moby Dick was written long ago based on true events.
Stay away from elephants and they won’t step on you. Same with Orcas.
Harpoons, depth charges, it them or me so I’ll kill them. Do you think these silly comments are in any way worth posting? Please go to the joke thread.
We have as a society enacted Federal legislation to protect marine mammals.
Period. If you disagree, work to change it. Carry a harpoon and I’ll cheer as the Feds take you away. These pathetic, childish and narcissistic rants against the “orca threat..are you sane? Does the little voice inside tell you this is reality?
The orcas are reacting to a perceived threat or a game they didn’t feel like ending...or simply, after months of being hungry, the noise generating things came back and they are angry. It’s mammal behavior...no more no less.
Till then...
Happy trails to you
Captain Mark and his gun toting manatees (gin and tonic in water pistols) Burpoffgassing, Burp

[Dave_S]

Originally Posted by Dave_S

If the trailing edge of a rudder is too blunt it will cause noise. I wonder if this guy doesn't like the sound ?

It seems to fit.

Money back guarantee if I'm wrong.

[John De Bree]

I have found most of the attacks seem to be juvenile orcas i would have a guess that all the boats damaged had a black bottom thus resembling a whale and are practicing for the real thing. They are very intelligent they know the difference we are just a practice toy for them