By now you have probably heard the startling reports that, beginning in 2020, orcas- also commonly called killer whales- off the straits of Gibraltar, started attacking sailboats. While Orcas have not historically generally represented danger to people or boats, this new behavior isn’t the first time that people at sea have been terrorized by massive creatures of the deep. In fact, the recorded. history of whales attacking boats goes back a very long time.
When Whales Attack
By September of 1944, the Western Allies had broken out of the Normandy beachehead, and suddenly and quickly moved across northern France . By September 7th, the 90th division was stretched across the northern sector on Patton’s Third Army’s left, advancing slowly northeast. As they did so the German defenders made a risky attack in an effort to spoil the allied advance, cutting through Allied lines in a surprise action at the small town of Mairy-Mannville.