Killer Whales Target Endurance Sailboats in Growing Trend of Aggressive Encounters

Pod of Killer Whales Bump Boat in Endurance Sailing Race near Strait of Gibraltar

In a startling encounter during an endurance sailing race, a pod of killer whales bumped into one of the boats as it approached the Strait of Gibraltar. This incident is the latest in a series of sometimes-aggressive interactions with Iberian orcas, according to researchers.

The crew competing in The Ocean Race had a 15-minute run-in with at least three of these giant mammals on Thursday. In an attempt to scare off the approaching orcas, the crew dropped its sails and made loud noises. Fortunately, no one was injured, but Team JAJO skipper Jelmer van Beek described the incident as “a scary moment” in a video posted on The Ocean Race website.

The boat, a VO65 class sloop, was on its way from the Netherlands to Italy and was approaching the mouth of the Mediterranean Sea when the orcas approached. Videos taken by the crew showed one of the killer whales nuzzling the rudder and another running its nose into the hull.

Over the past four years, there have been increasing reports of orcas bumping or damaging boats off the western coast of the Iberian Peninsula. Scientists have identified 15 individual orcas involved in these encounters, with 13 of them being young. This supports the hypothesis that the orcas are playing. However, the presence of two adult orcas also raises the possibility that they are responding to some traumatic event involving boats.

The sailors were aware of the potential hazard. Team JAJO on-board reporter Brend Schuil stated, “We knew that there was a possibility of an orca attack this leg, so we had already spoken about what to do if the situation would occur.”

When the orcas approached, the crew dropped the sails and slowed the boat from its racing speed of 12 knots. They made loud noises to scare off the orcas, but the encounter caused the boat to fall from second to fourth place on the leg from The Hague to Genoa.

Schuil noted that the orcas seemed more aggressive or playful when the boat was sailing at speed. Once they slowed down, the orcas became less aggressive in their attacks. Fortunately, everyone on board the boat and the orcas themselves were unharmed.

The Ocean Race involves two classes of sailboats that spend weeks at sea, with the IMOCA 60 boats circumnavigating the globe in a six-month, 32,000-nautical mile journey. The race has already faced challenges such as a giant seaweed flotilla, equipment failures, and a collision that affected the leader of the seventh leg.

While the race course is designed to avoid known marine habitats, encounters with whales have occurred in The Ocean Race and other high-speed regattas in the past. However, these encounters typically involve boats crashing into the animals, rather than the other way around.

In May of this year, one of the boats in the around-the-world portion of The Ocean Race triggered its hazard alarm after hitting what was suspected to be a whale off the coast of Newfoundland. Two crew members were injured in the collision. Similar incidents have occurred in other races, such as the 2013 America’s Cup and the 2022 SailGP championship race.

In 2005, a South African yacht challenging for the America’s Cup hit a whale during training near Cape Town, resulting in injuries to two crew members and damage to the boat.

The incident with the killer whales highlights the unpredictable nature of encounters between boats and marine wildlife. As researchers continue to study these interactions, sailors are being urged to remain vigilant and take necessary precautions to ensure the safety of both humans and animals.

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AP Sports Writer Bernie Wilson contributed to this story.

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AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

How did the encounter with the killer whales during The Ocean Race impact Team JAJO’s performance and ranking

In a surprising incident during an endurance sailing race near the Strait of Gibraltar, a pod of killer whales bumped into one of the participating boats. This event marks the latest in a series of sometimes aggressive interactions with Iberian orcas, according to researchers.

The crew of The Ocean Race experienced a 15-minute encounter with at least three of these massive mammals on Thursday. To deter the approaching orcas, the team dropped their sails and made loud noises. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, but Team JAJO skipper Jelmer van Beek described the incident as “a scary moment” in a video uploaded on The Ocean Race website.

The boat, a VO65 class sloop, was en route from the Netherlands to Italy and was nearing the Mediterranean Sea when the orcas appeared. Videos captured by the crew show one of the killer whales nudging the rudder while another bumped its nose into the hull.

Over the past four years, there has been a growing number of reports regarding orcas bumping into boats or causing damage in the waters off the western coast of the Iberian Peninsula. Scientists have identified 15 individual orcas involved in such incidents, with 13 of them being juveniles. This supports the hypothesis that these orcas are engaging in play. However, the presence of two adult orcas also suggests the possibility that they may be responding to some traumatic event involving boats.

The sailors were aware of the potential risk. Team JAJO onboard reporter Brend Schuil stated, “We knew that there was a possibility of an orca attack this leg, so we had already discussed what to do if such a situation were to occur.”

Upon the approach of the orcas, the crew promptly dropped their sails and reduced the boat’s speed from its racing pace of 12 knots. They utilized loud noises to frighten off the orcas, but the encounter caused the boat to drop from second place to fourth.