Mediterranean: Orca Incidents Reported East of Gibraltar
The Cruising Association says a number of Orca incidents have now been reported east of Gibraltar, including one off Ceuta in Spanish North Africa and another near Marbella in southern Spain.
Published 9 months ago
The incidents have been recorded east of Gibraltar using the GT Orcas app, with the incident off Ceuta causing extensive damage to the vessel concerned. Both the Ceuta and Marbella incidents were reported to the Cruising Association.
This is new behaviour by the Orcas this year, as previously they have only been involved in incidents in Atlantic waters.
The Mediterranean incidents are in addition to continuing incidents in Biscay waters between Gibraltar and Brittany and a recent sighting off Brest. The Orcas tend to move north throughout the summer as the tuna migrate.
The CA Orca project team asked the GT Orca scientists if they knew which Orca were venturing east.
GTOA advised, “We don’t know which Orcas they are because we didn’t get any pictures. It is not very frequent, but the presence of Orcas is known in that area and in Algeciras, they have arrived in Almería at some point as well. We will have to see how they evolve, [but we] don’t think they would like to venture into the Mediterranean very much.”
The CA’s orca team recommends downloading the GT Orcas app hosted by Grupo Trabajo Orca Atlantica (GTOA), which is available for iPhone or Android, and records all known incidents.
The CA website – www.theca.org.uk/orcas – has details of interactions and advice on measures which may minimise the impact.
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Related to following destinations: Algeciras, Almeria, Atlantic Coast (France), Atlantic Coast (Portugal), Aveiro, Brest, Cascais, Ceuta, Figueira da Foz, France, Gibraltar, Gibraltar Port, Leixoes (nr Porto/Oporto), Lisbon, Mediterranean Coast (Spain), Nazare, Oeiras, Peniche, Porto (Oporto), Portugal, Povoa de Varzim, Puerto Banus & Marbella, Sesimbra, Setubal, Sines, South Coast (Algarve), South West Coast (Spain), Spain, Spanish North Africa, Troia, Viana do Castelo
Related to the following Cruising Resources: Atlantic Crossing, Atlantic Ocean East, Circumnavigation, Cruising Information, Mediterranean, Navigation, Orcas and Yachts, Routing, Safety, Safety and Medical
This month it looks like some orcas are migrating north around the Iberian peninusula, with orcas interacting with yachts off Northern Spain in the Gulf of Bizkaia off the Basque coast this last weekend. The first incident was 20 miles north of Zumaia on Saturday 12 August, and the second 18 miles north of Ondarroa in the early hours of Sunday morning (probably the same group). See news item in Spanish at https://www.deia.eus/bizkaia/2023/08/14/grupo-orcas-golpea-veleros-cerca-7148451.html