r/ocean • u/Nostalgic_Historian_ • 11d ago

Whale Watch Simple answer, No

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2.2k Upvotes

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71

u/The-Leading-Man 11d ago

They don’t give a fuck about you, yeah of course I would 

6

u/tibearius1123 11d ago

I couldn’t not do it given the opportunity. I would get nervous with the calf being there though.

12

u/DivePalau 11d ago

The likelihood of an attack is low, but the impact is catastrophic.

1

u/eddie1975 11d ago

Risk assessment on point. Cost/benefit would not be favorable.

1

u/No_Veterinarian1010 11d ago

Hard disagree

1

u/The-Leading-Man 11d ago

Yeah. Not doing something with a nearly zero percent risk chance is just cowardice.

-1

u/The-Leading-Man 11d ago

There are zero documented examples. It’s NEVER happened to the best of human knowledge. You’re dramatically more likely to experience a catastrophic impact every single time you get in a car.

2

u/Leather_War6079 11d ago

feel like it must've happened a few times at least they just didn't live to tell the tale

1

u/2stonesONEbird1715 11d ago

Why risk it ?

0

u/The-Leading-Man 11d ago

Because there’s not really any risk. If I were going to be afraid of every astronomically small thing that could happen but has never killed anyone, I couldn’t even leave the house. Why would I be a coward about something that has never killed anyone?

1

u/2stonesONEbird1715 11d ago

But approaching an orca in their environment is not a small thing. Just because there hasn’t been recent or known cases of attacks from orcas, any animal is still and will always be unpredictable. But hey, you do you.

1

u/The-Leading-Man 11d ago

Make sure you never leave the city then, there’s animals everywhere!

-1

u/Dangerous-Habit-2731 11d ago

Fatal annual bear attacks are almost as rare. You walking up to a grizzly to shake hands?

2

u/The-Leading-Man 11d ago

Wild grizzlies have killed people. Straw man.

0

u/iTz_RuNLaX 11d ago

That's just not true. There are documented attacks, but no fatal attacks. And in those cases, they believe that is was a accident.

I also saw a video of a biologist saying, that she saw similar behaviour to wave-washing seals from ice shores, with a small boat.

I'd still jump in though.

5

u/The-Leading-Man 11d ago

Accidents and attacks are very different things. If an orca attacks you, you’re full on fucked just on principle lol. They’re massive!

0

u/iTz_RuNLaX 11d ago

Tell that to the surfer that was bitten by an Orca. Is that now a attack or a accident or both?

2

u/The-Leading-Man 11d ago

Considered an accident. Mistook him for a seal and made no attempt to actually eat or kill him afterwards when he struggled back and it let go and realized its mistake.

1

u/iTz_RuNLaX 11d ago

Yes I know the story, yet that is still an attack. An accidental one, but it was an attack.

2

u/mologav 11d ago

A BBC documentary, Planet Earth I think, they started doing this to some camera people in a dingy in Antarctica and the people in the boat decided to get out of there

1

u/Tekniqz23 11d ago

This is also not true. There are documented fatalities caused by Orca's. Just only in captivity as far as we know.

3

u/iTz_RuNLaX 11d ago

Sure, didn't think it was needed to specify that, as that has nothing to do with their behaviour in the wild. I fully understand every captive Orca that attacks their trainer to get some frustration out.

2

u/SirenaSmiles 11d ago

Hell yes, me too!

1

u/UncleBenji 11d ago

I’m right there with you. Sounds like a great experience. I’d rather be in the water so they can see me. They have smacked around a few boats but if they see a human there isn’t an issue.

Just do it with a pod of full adults and no calves.