Make sure to read the last sentence. I did not expect that.
The Final Sentence Will SHOCK You
The Predator That Makes Great White Sharks Flee in Fear
61–70 of 71 posts
Re: The Predator That Makes Great White Sharks Flee in Fear
#62I had a bad experience with a killer whale when I was returning to San Diego from Catalina Island in my rather small Columbia 22 sailboat (this was around 1977). A killer whale jumped out of the water to the level of the top of my mast 4 times. Each time it landed horizontally right next to my boat, almost tipping the boat over with the splash/wave it created. I laid down in the bottom of the cockpit reaching up to s…
15' jump height on a killer whale. https://www.reference.com/science/high-can-killer-whale-jump... This Columbia 22 has a mast height over 30'. http://www.sailingtexas.com/scolumbia22103.html I don't sail, so I have nothing to prove, but something doesn't feel quite right about this story.
The story is true. It was a long time ago but I remember the head being up near the top of the mast, the rest of the body would have been lower. My strongest memories are of a beady black eye looking down on me and the feeling of the boat rolling.
Re: The Predator That Makes Great White Sharks Flee in Fear
#63I had a bad experience with a killer whale when I was returning to San Diego from Catalina Island in my rather small Columbia 22 sailboat (this was around 1977). A killer whale jumped out of the water to the level of the top of my mast 4 times. Each time it landed horizontally right next to my boat, almost tipping the boat over with the splash/wave it created. I laid down in the bottom of the cockpit reaching up to s…
I race small sailboats, and there’s a group of them that actively race on Monterrey Bay. A couple of friends had a whale, rather larger that an orca, surface below them.
They’re pretty high tech boats. Carbon fiber, Kevlar, nomex sandwich. Ripped the back of the boat off from the rudder.
One of the two guys was hanging off the side of the boat at the time (sounds strange,but normal), and so he suddenly found himself lying on a whale. Thought they had capsized. He said his first coherent thought was, “that’s not water?” Then promptly realized the barnacles on the whale were cutting through his 4mm wetsuit!
The whale dove and disappeared, none the wiser apparently. They got towed in by one of the safety boats.
Re: The Predator That Makes Great White Sharks Flee in Fear
#64Re: The Predator That Makes Great White Sharks Flee in Fear
#65I had a bad experience with a killer whale when I was returning to San Diego from Catalina Island in my rather small Columbia 22 sailboat (this was around 1977). A killer whale jumped out of the water to the level of the top of my mast 4 times. Each time it landed horizontally right next to my boat, almost tipping the boat over with the splash/wave it created. I laid down in the bottom of the cockpit reaching up to s…
I race small sailboats, and there’s a group of them that actively race on Monterrey Bay. A couple of friends had a whale, rather larger that an orca, surface below them. They’re pretty high tech boats. Carbon fiber, Kevlar, nomex sandwich. Ripped the back of the boat off from the rudder. One of the two guys was hanging off the side of the boat at the time (sounds strange,but normal), and so he suddenly found himself…
For anybody who hasn't seen it, here's some video of "hanging off the side of the boat" in a trapeze...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8NwT9JBQJk
Perfectly normal on faster small-to-midsize boats (usually double-handed racing dinghies). The body weight and extra leverage helps keep the boat from capsizing. Some boats have only the crew in the trapeze, others have crew and captain.
Re: The Predator That Makes Great White Sharks Flee in Fear
#66Earlier quoted context omitted.
I race small sailboats, and there’s a group of them that actively race on Monterrey Bay. A couple of friends had a whale, rather larger that an orca, surface below them. They’re pretty high tech boats. Carbon fiber, Kevlar, nomex sandwich. Ripped the back of the boat off from the rudder. One of the two guys was hanging off the side of the boat at the time (sounds strange,but normal), and so he suddenly found himself…
For anybody who hasn't seen it, here's some video of "hanging off the side of the boat" in a trapeze... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8NwT9JBQJk Perfectly normal on faster small-to-midsize boats (usually double-handed racing dinghies). The body weight and extra leverage helps keep the boat from capsizing. Some boats have only the crew in the trapeze, others have crew and captain.
Well...since you're breaking out the examples despite my being coy for the non-sailors.
Here's a video of the boats I was talking about. Trapeze sailing is really a blast and for the technically inclined, they are great boats: https://youtu.be/njSrgwlClNE
If those kinds of things grab your attention, foiling boats are a whole other level of tech and adrenaline. Since there's so many in the audience in the Bay Area, this is going on in SF next month and should be fabulous spectating. https://sailgp.com/races/san-francisco/
I expect the catamarans would fare worse than the 505s in a meet up with a whale.
Re: The Predator That Makes Great White Sharks Flee in Fear
#67Earlier quoted context omitted.
Orcas Sometimes Avoid Great White Sharks.
is this a joke? the article and nature says the opposite. it is great whites who avoid orcas.
I transposed the species by mistake. My point was that 'fleeing in fear' is not what the scientists reported. The animals objectively went away. That they 'fled in fear' is editorialized.
Re: The Predator That Makes Great White Sharks Flee in Fear
#68I had a bad experience with a killer whale when I was returning to San Diego from Catalina Island in my rather small Columbia 22 sailboat (this was around 1977). A killer whale jumped out of the water to the level of the top of my mast 4 times. Each time it landed horizontally right next to my boat, almost tipping the boat over with the splash/wave it created. I laid down in the bottom of the cockpit reaching up to s…
15' jump height on a killer whale. https://www.reference.com/science/high-can-killer-whale-jump... This Columbia 22 has a mast height over 30'. http://www.sailingtexas.com/scolumbia22103.html I don't sail, so I have nothing to prove, but something doesn't feel quite right about this story.
Sailing stories always become a little more dramatic with each retelling. An orca 15 feet above you on a small boat would be awesome and terrifying in a way units of measure cannot express.
Re: The Predator That Makes Great White Sharks Flee in Fear
#69I had a bad experience with a killer whale when I was returning to San Diego from Catalina Island in my rather small Columbia 22 sailboat (this was around 1977). A killer whale jumped out of the water to the level of the top of my mast 4 times. Each time it landed horizontally right next to my boat, almost tipping the boat over with the splash/wave it created. I laid down in the bottom of the cockpit reaching up to s…
Bro, you are going into the "rich people problems" compilation.
Re: The Predator That Makes Great White Sharks Flee in Fear
#70Earlier quoted context omitted.
15' jump height on a killer whale. https://www.reference.com/science/high-can-killer-whale-jump... This Columbia 22 has a mast height over 30'. http://www.sailingtexas.com/scolumbia22103.html I don't sail, so I have nothing to prove, but something doesn't feel quite right about this story.
The story is true. It was a long time ago but I remember the head being up near the top of the mast, the rest of the body would have been lower. My strongest memories are of a beady black eye looking down on me and the feeling of the boat rolling.
I believe you believe it to be.