Turns out blasting extreme heavy metal of any sort is not the way to deter Orcas from your vessel. As a matter of fact it may even be appealing to them
In the vast expanse of the ocean, where the deep blue meets the endless sky, a peculiar and somewhat amusing battle is taking place. Move over, sharks – there’s a contender for the title of the Most Metal Animal in the Sea, and it’s not who you might expect. Orcas, those majestic creatures known for their size, predatory instincts, corpsepaint-like markings, and the intimidating moniker “killer whales,” are making waves in the maritime world.
While we’re all familiar with the terror a great white shark can instill, orcas are giving them a run for their money, and recent events have sailors exploring unconventional methods to keep these sea metalheads at bay.
Enter Captain Florian Rutsch and his crew, who found themselves uncomfortably close to a pod of orcas near the Iberian Peninsula. According to the New York Times, Rutsch and his crew were faced with the looming threat, causing them to turn to an unexpected weapon: heavy metal. The specially curated playlist, aptly titled “Metal For Orcas,” included tracks from death metal mainstays such as ABORTED, DYING FETUS and INGESTED. The crew played the tunes through an underwater speaker, hoping the intense beats would drive the orcas away.
However, much to their dismay, the orcas weren’t deterred. In a twist of fate, the sea metalheads attacked the catamaran’s rudder, leaving the crew stranded and in need of rescue. Captain Rutsch described the encounter as “scary,” emphasizing the uncertainty of what tactics actually work against these formidable creatures.
In a quest for answers, Business Insider consulted Andrew Trites, director of the Marine Mammal Research Unit at the University of British Columbia. Trites suggested that blasting loud, abrasive music might initially mask the sounds of sailboats, but intelligent orcas could catch on and use it to locate vessels more easily.
Despite the skepticism from some experts, anecdotes within the sailing community suggest that heavy metal may indeed serve as an orca deterrent. Reports on the Orca Attack Reports Facebook group recount instances where “full volume east European thrash metal” successfully rattled the hull and kept the animals at bay. Others have vouched for both metal and dance music as effective repellents.
In conclusion, the data remains inconclusive, and the battle between heavy metal and orcas continues to unfold. While heavy metal might make for a killer soundtrack on your boat trip, it’s advisable not to rely on it as a foolproof method to scare away these massive sea creatures. After all, orcas were here first, and they’ve earned their place as the undisputed metalheads of the ocean.
