If you've ever thought about going whale watching, make sure you're in a really big boat. Some people got more than they bargained for on their last voyage out to sea. A giant whale jumped out of the water and sank their boat. While it is unclear what caused the whale to act in such a manner, the video is definitely shocking. Check out the video below to watch as a whale sinks a boat off the coast of New Hampshire.
There is a pissed off whale patrolling the waters of Portsmouth NH today. Head on swivel if you?re out there pic.twitter.com/xQPIHs8ZjN
— Ryan Whitney (@ryanwhitney6) July 23, 2024
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Whale Sinks Boat In Shocking Footage
Bystanders on other boats could do nothing but watch in horror as the whale emerged from the water. Then forcibly slammed down on the boat. The driver of the second boat in the video wasted no time in removing himself from the whale's path after watching its' display of aggression. While the type of whale is not disclosed in the video, many people assume that it is a humpback whale. Humpbacks are one of the most common species of whale off of the coast of New Hampshire. These giants are distinguishable by their small dorsal fins, dark grey to black coloring, and small hump in front of their dorsal fin. Another thing that makes it more probable that this is a humpback whale over a blue whale is that blue whales very seldom breach. Whereas humpback whales are popular for breaching.
Why Do Whales Sink Boats?
Paul Wolf, Getty Images
Although blue whales are the largest in the ocean, humpback whales are still massive creatures. If the video of it sinking a boat wasn't enough to prove it to you, perhaps these facts about its' size will. Humpback whales can weigh up to 40 tons and can reach up to 60 feet in length! Many people may be wondering, what would cause this giant to come out from deep below and attack this boat? Well, scientists have some theories. Surprising as it may seem, biologists are suggesting that this humpback whale did not intentionally sink the boat. Biologists argue that while orcas are known to attack boats, humpbacks are more gentle creatures. They go on to say that humpback whales typically only approach boats out of curiosity rather than aggression.
Dianna Schulte of the Blue Ocean Society for Marine Conservation said, "There have been a lot of menhaden, which is a small bait fish, in the river recently. So likely, it was coming into the river just looking for some food." Luckily, neither of the two sailors on board the boat were injured as they were tossed into the water.
Orcas: The True Boat Sinkers
Getty Images, Foto4440
If there was ever a whale to watch, it would be the orca. Also known as the killer whale, orca whales sink boats. Scientists have been digging into this research a bit more heavily lately. They are trying to understand why these whales sink boats, seemingly just for fun. The president of the Spanish conservation group CIRCE said, " They don't care if it's a sailboat or motorboat. They look for the rudders to break them." The GT Atlantic Orca tracks incidents where orcas attack boats, and they claim that in the Spanish waters over 673 boats have been attacked by the same pod since 2020. While the incidents may feel aggressive to the humans on the boat, scientists argue that they would not label them as attacks.
One even went on to say, "These really shouldn't be called attacks because they're not attacking the boats, they're playing with the boats." Orcas are known to be a playful species and scientists are arguing that these particular pods that are "attacking" boats may just have more time on their hands. Killer whale expert John Ford goes on to clarify, "What's happened in recent years is that the abundance of bluefin tuna has increased substantially and, as a result, the whales are spending less time foraging, and they have, essentially, more time on their hands to get involved in other behaviors".
What To Do If A Whale Attacks Your Boat
While it is not the most likely of events, it is always best to be prepared. Here are some things you can do if a whale tries to sink your boat.
- Have weighted lines over the side of the boat that surround the rudder area.
- Install small cones on the rudders, which make it uncomfortable for the whales to push with their heads.
If these two options are not readily available to you, the best thing to do is keep moving away from the whales. If you stop your boat, you give them access to the rudder and become their new favorite plaything.
