For the past 2 years, we've been concerned about all the Orca incidents along the coast of Spain and Portugal. We knew the Bay of Biscay would be challenging, but we were really concerned about the Orcas along the Spainish Coast.

In the past month, there have been many sightings and several encouters with Orcas in the part of Spain.This is the next part of Spain that we need to sail.  Here is the Map of the sightings & encounters over the past month. 

WELL, as we've been in the boat yard for a month, we ment a man who's hauled out his boat at the same boat yard because Orcas hit his rudder and damaged his self steering. 

Here's the story from him: 

He and his wife were about 10 miles off the coast of Spain heading back toward the Netherlands. The seas were big and so they didn't see the Orcas approach. All of a sudden they noticed that their depth guage was going wacky. It would read 600 meters, then 2 meters. They couldn't figure out why until the saw the dorsal fin of the Orcas. 

Apparently the Orcas find it very fun to hit the rudder. He said that the Adults seem to hang back and allow the juveniles to hit the rudder. It only took one hit, and they completely lost all steering. 

Once the Orcas were gone, they had to call for a tow since they were no longer able to steer the boat. Once the tow boat arrived, they make you sign a waiver that they are not responsible for any damage incurred while rescuing you or your boat. 

The Tow Boat throws big tow lines to your boat, and your reponsible to attach them to your boat. While his wife was attaching the tow line to her side of the bow, they got hit by a big wave, and her hand got caught between the strap and the bow cleat ripping her hand open and tearing ligaments. It was a pretty bad wound and since it was  going to take over 5 hours to get to tow to shore, so they air lifted her to a hospital. 

He brought the boat to the boat yard, and had it put on the hard to make repairs. The tow boat, damaged the gel coat and ripped a bunch of the teak off the boat, so the boat is in pretty poor shade, then the boat yard broke the wind vane when they hoisted the boat out of the water. The Orcas did the least amount of damage, but his boat will be here for months while getting repaired. 

There have been many Orcas sighting in this area over the past few weeks. 

Here is a Youtube Video if you want to learn more.