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Sailing Journey Interrupted by Killer Whales

This transcript describes a sailing journey that was interrupted by killer whales attacking the boat. The crew managed to capture footage of the attack and later spoke with a research engineer about the behavior of orcas.

Killer Whale Attack

• The crew spotted killer whales heading towards their boat and immediately turned off the engine to film.

• Four orcas began head-butting and biting the hull of the boat, causing damage to the rudder.

• The boat was like a cork in water, moving with jerks caused by orcas. Crew members were tense but remained calm.

• After about 15 minutes, the rudder broke off due to repeated attacks from orcas.

Aftermath

• Five minutes after ripping off the rudder, the orcas left. The crew counted three of them walking away.

• The crew called their family and insurance company to report what happened. They were advised to go to Alges port near Lisbon for repairs.

• Despite having only half a rudder left, they managed to turn on the engine and head towards Alges port.

• Once there, they took the boat out of water and assessed damages. They left it in good hands before returning home.

Understanding Orca Behavior

• Paula Mendes Fernandez from Orca Iberica explained that their group collects data on interactions between boats and orcas in order to better understand this behavior.

• Their website contains information on all interactions collected by this working group, including those from August 2022 when this incident occurred.

The Behaviour of Orcas in the Strait of Gibraltar

In this section, the speaker discusses various hypotheses that attempt to explain the behaviour of orcas in the Strait of Gibraltar.

Possible Causes for Behaviour

• One hypothesis is that the sudden cessation of human activities during COVID-19 lockdowns and then gradually resuming them during spring and summer 2020 may have caused this behaviour.

• Another hypothesis is that there have always been strong interactions between tuna fisheries off Moroccan coasts and killer whales, which have become specialized in getting a piece of tuna and leaving without any problem, creating tension with fishermen.

• A third hypothesis is that it could simply be a game for orcas as they have an enormous capacity to learn and transmit their learning.

Interaction Protocol with Orcas

In this section, the speaker discusses how to react when encountering orcas while sailing.

Reaction Protocol

• Stop everything, lower sails, stop engine, turn off all signals/sounds that might interfere with orcas.

• Do not switch off VHF as it may be needed in case of serious situation.

• 50% of situations end up finding no more interest in boat because letting go of helm makes it less fun for orcas to play with rudder.

Techniques to prevent orcas from damaging boats

In this section, the speaker discusses various techniques that have been developed to prevent orcas from damaging boats. These include a controlled reversal of the boat, creating curtains of bubbles or sand around the rudder of the propellers, and using pingers as acoustic repellents.

Reversal of the boat

• If a person has their hand on the wheel when an orca bites it, they can be seriously hurt.

• The protocol now includes a controlled reversal of the boat to prevent damage.

• Care must be taken not to harm the orcas during this process.

Curtains of bubbles/sand

• Creating curtains of bubbles or sand around the rudder of propellers creates a physical boundary that orcas recognize and will not cross.

• This technique has already worked but is not scientifically validated.

Pingers as acoustic repellents

• Pingers emit sounds audible by cetaceans and are used as acoustic repellents.

• Tests show that after a while, pingers do not work and may even attract orcas.

• There is nothing developed specifically for killer whales yet.

• Acoustic contamination in water could increase if all sailing boats start using acoustic repellents.

Interactions between killer whales and boats

In this section, the speaker talks about the interactions between killer whales and boats. They explain that these interactions are not attacks, but rather observations of orcas with and without interaction.

• The speaker never uses the term "attack" to describe interactions between killer whales and boats.

• There have been sightings where orcas approach boats but there is no interaction.

• The speaker emphasizes the importance of learning more about orcas to better understand their behavior.

Orcas in the Strait of Gibraltar

In this section, the speaker talks about a sub-population of orcas living in the Strait of Gibraltar.

• A sub-population of about 39 individuals live in the Strait of Gibraltar.

• Only 9 killer whales were repeatedly identified in interactions.

• Scientists are able to recognize them by their dorsal fin or by the spot behind it.

Migration of Atlantic Bluefin Tuna and Threats to Killer Whales

In this section, the speaker discusses the migration patterns of Atlantic bluefin tuna and the threats faced by killer whales.

Migration Patterns of Atlantic Bluefin Tuna

• The Atlantic bluefin tuna migrates through the Strait of Gibraltar in August and September.

• They move towards the north along the coast of Iberian Peninsula, France, and Bay of Biscay.

• It is supposed that they continue to rise towards Norway when they arrive in Celtic Sea.

Threats Faced by Killer Whales

• Killer whales are threatened by traffic in the Strait of Gibraltar, fishing boats, noise pollution from shipping traffic, chemical pollution due to high concentrations of pollutants accumulated by these species, habitat degradation and reduction of fish resources due to intensive fishing.

• Captive orcas should not be locked up as it is an attack on animal welfare and ecology. Shows with captive orcas should be stopped as it makes them completely crazy.

Conclusion

• Orcas in the Strait of Gibraltar are in critical danger and need protection. Their place is in the ocean, not in a water park.