Leviathans of the deep attacking ships in the night are stories to frighten children. Boogie monster tales to keep carefree spirits mindful of danger and deviants young minds in check.
Only they aren’t.
Sea monsters do exist. Iberian orca brazenly attack sailboats and have for the last three years. As many as 250 instances have plagued the Iberian coastline, including at least three sinkings. These “interactions,” as the authorities call them, are growing more common with ever increasing violence from the black and white cetaceans.
Experts claim a variety of reasons for this behavior. Regardless of the why, the rapidly increasing frequency and aggressiveness is of immediate concern to all who spend time at sea. Modern sea monsters have come to life, and ironically, are protected from harm by endangered species laws.
Sailing vessel Imagine was a victim of an ocra interaction on June 25, 2023. It was a harrowing experience for all on board. They wondered if Imagine would be the fourth boat to meet the bottom. After nearly an hour or relentless ramming, the rudder system shattered, irreparably damaged by the onslaught. Imagine, stuck in the water like a listless log, called for emergency assistance.
The facts of the attack are these:
- The orca actively sought Imagine out, approaching from the port flank from a distance. They identifiedImaginefrom an unknown range and arrived like a squadron in a coordinated pod.
- Upon arrival, they targeted and attacked Imagine’s rudder. No other portion of the hull was impacted. They likely used their heads and bodies to slam against the large slab of steel and fiberglass. (A later inspection of the rudder showed a small nick in the fiberglass that could have been a tooth impression. In Imagine’s case, the rudder does not appear to have been repeatedly bitten, as in other cases.)
- The pod contained three members, though the largest of which was the most aggressive and attacked with the greatest violence and persistence.
- As soon as Imagine’s rudder failed (the hydraulic ram was rendered from the boat’s framework), the orca left. They seemed to immediately comprehend their success. The moment the rudder jammed at the 15° left position, they ceased their barrage. Without delay, they immediately headed toward another sail boat, less than a nautical mile to the north of us. Intent on the same goal.
- Minutes later, that boat’s captain called out an orca attack on the emergency frequency.
Even though this attack is a sample size of one, a few characteristics clearly stand out to postulate a few, simple conclusions:
Sailboats are targeted: This was not defensive behavior. The orca were not trying to protect themselves or smaller members of their pod. In the wide open waters south of the Algarve coast, the orca found a target and launched a coordinated attack from likely miles away. They swam toward Imagine, not the other way around.
The rudder was their mission: The whales’ violence was focused on the rudder and the rudder alone. They understood the purpose and fragility of that particular component. Once it was effectively disabled, they departed, mission accomplished.
Once is not enough: As soon as they disabled Imagine’s rudder, they moved onto their next conquest. Knowing, likely through sound, the location of the next closest target (sailboat).
Their behavior is dangerous, not only to sailors, but also to the orca: Property damage aside, boats are thrown around quite violently when attacked. This can easily cause crew to fall overboard. Sinking vessels are another risk, given that the rudder stock is quite often the largest hull protrusion a boat has. Losing it creates a big hole for seawater to quickly flood the boat. The violence of ramming the boat and of swimming close to a spinning propeller are concerns for animals themselves.
This behavior isn’t safe for the perpetrators either. The force transmitted through the 30 tonnes of Imagine during the attack would be five times as intense on a six tonne animal. Concussions, lacerations, even broken teeth (against a 10cm thick steel rudder stock) are possible outcomes for the whales. Additionally, many humans make terrible passive victims. Physical aggression to orca from the surface is bound to occur in future attacks. Small explosives, spear guns, and worse will be employed against what is seen as a threat to human life. Too many humans think that way for it not to happen.
Something must be done to dissuade this behavior from continuing. Whatever the cause, whatever their rationale, this recently adopted conduct must cease. Tourism dollars, insurance costs, sailors’ safety, and whale health are all at issue. A safe, effective method to deter attacks must be developed, approved, and deployed before the Iberian pods teach the other orca pods in the seas how to kill sailboats.