Are Whales Dangerous To Boats?

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Last Updated on March 1, 2025 by Paul Clayton

Are Whales Dangerous To Boats?

While whales are generally known to be gentle giants of the sea, their sheer size and power can inadvertently pose a risk to boats and their occupants. It’s essential to understand these factors, not only for our safety but also for the conservation of these majestic marine creatures.

• Whales are generally not dangerous but can pose risks.
• Size comparison is crucial; collision impact can be catastrophic.
• Breaching behavior and tail slapping may threaten boats.
• Risks increase when whales are in a pod.
• Rare incidents highlight potential dangers to boats.
• Most whales are peaceful; incidents are relatively rare.
• Boaters are advised to maintain a respectful distance for safety.

Remember ‘Free Willy’? That movie makes you create a soft corner for whales in your heart. But whales aren’t as cute as the film portrays them. 

I don’t mean they are like sharks, the bloodthirsty monster you saw in ‘Jaws.’ But if you have read Moby Dick, you would know what I am talking about.

Does that mean you should be on the lookout for a boating trip? Are whales dangerous to boats? Or is it just a myth? 

You will find the answers to all your questions in this article. Keep reading!

The Largest Sea Mammals: Important Whale Facts

Species

Whales are torpedo-shaped marine mammals that can be 2.6 to 34 meters long. These mammals can weigh around 135 kg to 190 metric tons (190000 kilograms!). 

They have inflexible necks, flippers instead of limbs, and a large tail fin. 

There are two main types of whales, the baleen and toothed. The toothed variety feeds on large fish and squids, whereas the baleen group uses fibrous plates (baleens) in their mouths to filter out crustaceans, plankton, and krill. 

Beluga, sperm, humpback, gray, blue, right, and killer whales are some of the main species. Out of these, blue whales are the largest (90 feet) and can weigh as much as 24 elephants. 

Killer whales (the one in ‘Free Willy’), a.k .a. Orca, are highly social whales that travel in groups and exist as a family of mothers and kids. 

Location

Oceans and seas worldwide have whales, but whales prefer the Northern and Southern hemispheres, where the water is cold. 

They travel towards the equator to give birth. But some species can be found in tropical seas all year round.

Role In Ecosystem and Climate

As the most significant sea mammals, whales must eat much food daily to survive. An average blue whale eats up to four tonnes of krill every day. 

Therefore, whales play a role in maintaining the balance of the sea’s ecosystem, which would otherwise get too crowded. 

Whales also have their predators, such as some deep-sea creatures and killer whales (killer whales have no predators). 

Moreover, when a whale dies, its carcass sinks to the bottom (whale fall) and serves as a food source for plenty of deep-sea organisms. 

Another advantage of whales is that their defection is liquid, which stays on the ocean’s surface. It is rich in nutrients, so phytoplankton feed on it. 

Phytoplankton, in turn, helps by absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and releasing oxygen into it. Thus making about 50 to 85 % of the oxygen we breathe and decreasing global warming.

Whale Attacks: Incidences From Around The World

Whales don’t prey on humans, but several reported whale attacks have severely harmed them. Following are a few examples.

From 1970 to 2015:

• A 35-year-old woman died on March 11, 2015, on a snorkel tour about two kilometers from the Cabo San Lucas resort in California. She fell into the water when a gray whale breached the sea surface and crashed on the tourist boat, where two other tourists also suffered injuries.
• In July 2010, a couple onboard a yacht encountered a 40-tonne right whale that jumped on their ship and caused considerable damage to it.
• On June 18, 2012, a 50-foot sailboat, about 40 miles off Mexico’s coast, sank due to a hole created by a whale hitting the boat’s hull.
• June 15, 1972, a 13-meter-long schooner sank due to an attack by a killer whale group. Its passengers survived after escaping on an inflatable raft and dinghy.
• In 1989, William and Simone Butler lost their sailboat ‘Siboney’ to the sea when a large group of whales rammed it. The couple survived by taking refuge in a life raft.

The Attacks in 2020:

In 2020, several killer whales have been harassing sailboats along the Spanish and Portuguese coasts. 

The number of attacks is alarming, which has raised concern, and even scientists are puzzled by this type of aggression shown by the killer whales. Some of the incidents are as follows:

• On July 29, near Cape Trafalgar, Spain, a 46-foot delivery boat was rammed by nine killer whales for over an hour. They broke down the boat’s rudder and engine.
• A group of orcas attacked a motorboat in the middle of the night on July 22. They spun the boat in an attempt to tip it and carried on the activity for 20 minutes. 
• Another attack occurred earlier that same day when a 34-foot yacht was spun 180 degrees and pushed around for 15 minutes.
• Two attacks took place on August 30, when a French and Spanish vessel suffered damage. The Spanish naval yacht lost a part of its rudder due to the whale attack.

It’s unclear why whales attack boats, but according to some researchers, the recent attacks are probably a revenge act on humans, as killer whales feed on tuna. And they know fishing ships come up and steal all their food.

Other marine researchers think the whales liked the quiet sea during the COVID-19 lockdown and don’t like the noise pollution that has returned. 

Killer Whale Attacks in 2023

In 2023, the maritime community has been increasingly alarmed by whale attacks on vessels. This phenomenon gained notable attention following a specific incident reported by Reuters on May 25.

• In this alarming event, a group of killer whales aggressively targeted and damaged a boat off Spain’s coast, marking a significant addition to a growing list of such encounters throughout the year.
• These occurrences have sparked widespread concern and curiosity among marine biologists, sailors, and environmentalists, leading to numerous speculations about the reasons behind such unusual whale behavior.
• The incident in Spain is particularly notable for the level of aggression displayed by the whales.
• I am raising questions about changes in marine environments, whale stress factors, or other underlying causes that might be prompting these rare but dangerous interactions between humans and these majestic marine mammals.

What Precautions Can You Take To Avoid A Whale Attack?

You can take the following measures to stay safe:

• If you are interested in whale-watching, make it a rule to stay 100 yards away from the mammal. 
• When boating or fishing, take routes that avoid dense whale areas. But if it is necessary to go into that area, keep your boat speed at 10 knots or less to ensure safety. (It prevents high-speed collisions) 
• Keep a close watch for dorsal fins and blows on the water. In case of a sighting, change your boat’s direction in the opposite way to distance from the mammal. 
• Depth sounders should always be kept turned on, as whales can hear the pulse they emit, which wards them off.

Will Whales Hit Boats?

Marine biologists and seafarers alike have considered this one. There are documented instances of whales, specifically orcas, making contact with boats in a manner that has damaged the vessel.

For instance, if a boat has a rudder, there have been cases where these marine giants push against it with enough force to cause a break.

Additionally, some reports have detailed occasions when orcas have displayed the behavior of spinning boats around.

However, experts in the field assert that such actions are not intentional attempts by orcas to sink ships.

According to Dr. Deborah Giles, while a killer whale possesses the physical capability to sink a ship by ramming into it, such incidents are not purposeful attacks but relatively rare and unintended occurrences.

Understanding these interactions within the broader context of human-marine life cohabitation and respect for the natural world is essential.

Final Words

Whales, the gentle giants of the ocean, are generally not dangerous. However, compared to most boats, their size means that any collision could have potentially catastrophic results.

This risk is amplified when whales engage in behaviors such as breaching or tail slapping, which could unintentionally cause harm to nearby vessels. Furthermore, the risk increases when whales are grouped in a pod.

Despite these potential dangers, it’s important to note that incidents involving whales posing a threat to boats are relatively rare.

Most whales are peaceful creatures, and any perceived threat is usually accidental rather than aggressive. Therefore, boaters are advised to maintain a respectful distance from whales for their safety and the well-being of these majestic creatures.

Thus, while whales can pose risks to boats, these risks can be significantly minimized with proper precautions and respect for wildlife.

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