Sailing the Orca Alley
Rias Baixas, Spain, on a rainy day in September.
Camarinas - Ribeira
12:40
The sky is overcast at our anchoring in Camarinas. Rain is hammering on the dusky-grey ocean and on our Bimini. We are surprised how cold it’s in Spain in the beginning of September: Only 15 degrees Celsius. In my raincoat, I lift the anchor of our sailing vessel Asja and hope that we’ll get through the day without any trouble. It’s not a given, since we are sailing Orca Alley.
In other circumstances, in a different location, I would have loved to see the black and white giant dolphins. They are among the most intelligent animals on our planet and live in groups that vary highly in their social and hunting behavior. Some pods develop habits that we don’t really understand, e.g. carrying salmons on their heads. That trend among orcas in Puget Sound disappeared quickly. A behavior that has not stopped yet is that some Iberian orcas ram boats. This group, called Gladis, consists of 15 individuals. When the interactions started in 2020, Grupo de trabajo Orca Atlantica (GTOA) has recorded 52. By now, there have been more than 500 altogether. Half of the boats involved were damaged. Quite a few had to be towed. Four sank, which is the nightmare of every sailor.
13:10
At Enseada de Carnota, we pass a fishing vessel. It looks surreal in the rain… like a ship in an impressionist painting. Because of the shallows, we start sailing straight through the bay, against the recommendations of GTOA and Orcas PT. Both advise sailors to stay close to the coast. But that would cost us hours.
I’ve been feeling a bit tense for days. It’s a vigilance that I don't know from everyday life, which always moved more or less predictably in similar directions. For me, this is also the best thing about a sabbatical or a break: you exchange your usual life for new experiences and see what they do to you. But an orca encounter in the Rías Baixas would be a little too much of an experience.
The children don't mind the killer whales, they play Civilization in the salon. Daniel and I have the GT Orca app installed on our phones, which displays their latest yacht encounters on a map. Traffic lights break down the statistical risk for “Orca Alley” into three categories. The danger off Gibraltar is highest in June and July because the orcas follow their favorite food, bluefin tuna. After the end of tuna season they migrate north again - and come towards us at the beginning of September. For a few days the traffic light for the Rias Baixas was red (high risk). This morning the warning level jumped down to yellow. „At the moment, the sightings are not continuous. The orcas have not been seen for days“, marine biologist Alfredo López (GTOA) explains.
„It is very common for dolphins to interact with boats and approach them“, he goes on. Which sailing crew has not experienced it? For most of us, meeting dolphins is a highlight. When out of a sudden, their fins appear, the mood of our crew always goes up. One week ago, at night on the Bay of Biscay, dolphins have accompanied our boat through an area of bioluminescence. In the dark, we could vaguely spot their shapes. But with every jump out of the water, the whole ocean lit up green. It was magical.
And orcas are dolphins and have always approached boats and crew. In his book “Your first Atlantic crossing” Les Weatheritt describes meeting them sailing off the senegalese Coast.
We saw the three creatures rising high in the water as humans might before taking a big breath of air. Then they almost stood on their heads, perhaps to dive deep.
Later, in Dakar, he meets a French sailor, who tells him:
A pod of Orcas was always there and always looking for trouble.
That was 1994. So maybe the interactions aren't all that new and the Gladis just took them to the extreme. Nobody yet knows why they ram sailing yachts and go for the rudder. One theory suggests that they perceive boats as competition for their prey. And put the ships out of action, regardless of whether they are fishermen or recreational crews.
Scientists like Monika Wieland Shields (Orca Behavior Institute) suspect that the orcas are playing some kind of game. Where surfing on the bow wave is enough for common dolphins, they play tug-of-war with the boats: on one side the crew trying to maintain control at the helm - on the other side the pod. This theory is consistent with the fact that most of the Gladis are young. Young animals, like humans, take greater risks. (Most) older adult orcas probably understand that there is “nothing to get” on sailing yachts.
If scientists understand the orcas’ motivations, it might help finding a solution. In the future. Currently the captains fear for their ships and their dreams. Crews exchange information about the latest developments in sailing pubs and via social media. They arm themselves with heavy metal and special pingers to acoustically keep the animals at a distance. We tried it too. Others are storing sand, fireworks, and occasionally even firearms - the situation is becoming uncomfortable. No human has lost their life through an orca interaction in the wild - that calms me. But fatalities can happen in a sinking ship - and if they do, the situation will escalate.
14:40
At Rio da Muros e Noia, a small sailing yacht is bouncing in the waves. Why doesn’t it move? Is it unable to maneuver? But not due to rudder damage? And that black shadow at the stern - is it a dinghy or a black fin?
„It’s interesting how the traffic lights system changes our perception“, Daniel says. He gets our binoculars from the salon. Big relief: The other ship is simply sailing slowly and shortly afterwards turns into the bay. We want to go a little further, which means another half an hour's journey through open water. Just 40 meters deep, but as opaque as concrete. I always wonder what is hidden beneath us. Every crack, every unknown noise is suspicious.
18:30
The coastline of Ribeira with its narrow, sandy beaches and colorful houses is within reach. The fog is still compressing the forests on the bank, but now nothing can happen. Instead of orcas, dolphins welcome us here. They splash around us as Louisa drops the anchor. They show us a dozen ways how to splash into the water. And they're always there, even later when we look out the window in the salon. As soon as I watch them, the tension disappears. We’ve reached our destination. Without meeting any orcas. And if they had been there, they didn't show. And the beauty of the Rias Baixas with its endless anchoring possibilities is in a class of its own.
Dolphins at the anchorage.
⚓️ Enseada de Ribeira 42° 33.85' N, 8° 58.67' W
* adorable dolphins
* Sandy beach
* Good grip. Lots of algae on the anchor when pulled up.
* Lidl supermarket 5 minutes from the beach, ideal for bulk shopping with the dinghy
* Swell and roll at night, things are quieter
