rec fishers boat hits whale off broome coast
would have scared the hell out of them
given the number of whales in recent years its bound to happen more often
hezzy
Anglers injured after fishing boat smashes into whale off Broome coast
Photo: Sara Hennessy required stitches for a gash to her head after her team's boat hit the whale. (Supplied: Sara Hennessy)
Map: Broome 6725
A group of fisherwomen has described the moment their boat slammed into a humpback whale off WA's north coast, in an accident that left several of them with cuts and bruises.
Sara Hennessy and three friends were competing in the Broome Billfish Classic last week when the accident happened.
As they sped back shore at the end of the day, they struck a whale as it surfaced suddenly.
"We were driving home when all of a sudden there was an absolutely massive bang, and all I can remember is being catapulted into the air and feeling like a rag-doll being thrown against the side of the boat," Ms Hennessy said.
"I didn't know what was going on, because I'd bashed my head quite badly and there was blood going everywhere."
In her disorientated state, Ms Hennessy was able to radio for help before locating two friends who had been sitting up on the roof of the boat's cabin.
"We were stationary, I could hear the motor running, and I just had these terrible thoughts that I'd run them over and smashed them up with my propeller," she said.
I just feel so thankful that we were all safe.
Sara Hennessy
"But as it turns out the girls were fine, they were floating in the ocean. They're slightly stiff and sore now, but otherwise fine."
It emerged later the women sitting on the boat's roof had spotted the whale surfacing seconds earlier, but it was too late to raise the alarm and stop the boat.
None of the group were badly hurt, although Ms Hennessy required stitches for her head wound.
It is not known what happened to the whale.
"I just feel so thankful that we were all safe," Ms Hennessy said.
"I don't think anybody in a boat goes out to collide with a whale or hurt a whale, I mean we all love them and they're amazing animals.
"But I suppose it's just something to keep in mind that there's so many of them now compared with 10 or 15 years ago, so this is going to happen more often."
Whale numbers on the increase
Humpback whale numbers are believed to have increased by as much as 10 per cent a year since protections were put in place in the 1960s.
That is believed to have contributed to an increasing number of strikes and near misses among boaters in communities like Broome.
Department of Parks and Wildlife officer Peter Carstairs said people needed to take care when on the water during the peak migration months of June to October.
"We obviously don't want to have animals harmed, but it's for people's safety as well," he said.
"If you hit an animal going at speed, you're going to injure yourself and damage your boat. So we really want people to be extra cautious at this time of year, because we have a number of animals migrating up the coast and collisions can happen easily."
The department has run an education campaign in Broome in recent years, distributing whale safety stickers and stubby-holders to regulars at the local boat ramps.
"The main message we're trying to put out there is to drive to the conditions, because there are very large animals and they stop your boat in its tracks if you hit it while it's surfaced," Mr Carstairs said.
"We're asking people to stay 100 metres away from the whales, and to not approach them from the front or the back.
"In this case it was an accident, and these things aren't easy to avoid, but just driving to the conditions is the main message we want to put out there."
OFW 11
evil flourishes when good men do nothing
dodgy
Posts: 4588
Date Joined: 01/02/10
Was a pretty average feeling
Was a pretty average feeling hearing Sara's call for help over the radio when it happened. Was just after lines out and all boats were heading back to base at speed in the good conditions.
Was another close call that we saw as well. A whale breached right in front of a small boat. Not more than 20m away. Pretty lucky.
Does anyone know where the love of god goes, when the waves turn the minutes to hours?
beeroclock
Posts: 767
Date Joined: 22/08/12
Nearly hit one coming home flat out off two rocks a couple of
weekends ago. Same thing nearly happened to us - it surfaced in front and just to the right of us so we just missed it . Usually I will see a whale either surface of blow way before we cross paths but not this time so be careful out there!
fishcrazy
Posts: 1235
Date Joined: 27/01/07
lucky
good to see they are ok but gotta say sitting on the roof not a real smart idea
sea-kem
Posts: 15279
Date Joined: 30/11/09
Yeah I bet they'll be
Yeah I bet they'll be everywhere out there when we hit Gnaraloo late next week. We had one swim right under the boat first trip, deckie had skid marks I think lol. But will need to be vigillant.
Love the West!
dodgy
Posts: 4588
Date Joined: 01/02/10
Prob half the fleet of 40
Prob half the fleet of 40 boats on Sunday had someone on the roof. Makes spotting the sails coming into your gear much easier.
Does anyone know where the love of god goes, when the waves turn the minutes to hours?
big john
Posts: 8790
Date Joined: 20/07/06
Slightly
Slightly different scenario travelling back to base at speed. Glad everyone was ok.
WA based manufacturer and supplier of premium leadhead jigs, fligs, bucktail jigs, 'bulletproof' soft plastic jig heads and XOS bullet jig heads.
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Hutch
Posts: 2221
Date Joined: 21/04/13
Yeah heaps up north, had a
Yeah heaps up north, had a couple come a bit too close for my liking on the yak up at Gnaraloo last month
ranmar850
Posts: 2702
Date Joined: 12/08/12
had many close calls on the crayboat
Zigzagging along an edge setting pots seemed to confuse the hell out of them, they like you to maintain a steady course and speed. Tangles would remember them being so thick 8 or 10 miles off the coast well north of Kalbarri that you literally could not leave the wheel when travelling , we were wetlining in the off season. Anchored up one night after we had given the fishing away, they were circling the boat, so close their blows were showering water on the windows.
I had a very near miss with my old CC, fishing alone just north oif Kalbarri, I had stopped to wash down before heading home. Drifting on full starboard lock, put in in gear and accelerated , turning hard only to have a head to head with a humpback who surfaced almost right under my bow. Guess he wasn't counting on me moving in such a hurry, we both shit ourselves, I went straight from forward to reverse, and he nearly scored me with his tail as he crash dived
They are always a worry at Ningaloo, as we tend to anchor a bit, and it's humpback highway. Had a tail flick the anchor rope, but they seem generally good at avoiding stationary, noisy targets. fast moving targets are something else again, I predict someone will be killed on this coast sometime in the near future, either from one landing on a boat, or hitting one at speed. There are just so many of them now.
tomharders247
Posts: 145
Date Joined: 22/11/12
we hit a whale 2 days ago at
we hit a whale 2 days ago at the dampier classic luckily we were all ok. scary as hell surfaced right in front of us we were doing 36knots at the time aswell
meglodon
Posts: 5981
Date Joined: 17/06/10
Glad to hear you are all ok
How did the whale end up, did you get the collision on dash cam lol.
Cruise Control
Posts: 963
Date Joined: 03/11/10
Plenty around up here at the
Plenty around up here at the moment. we had them surfacing around us today no more than 15m away. Bloody big buggers as well. We were a little un-nerved at the time but fortunately no real problemsother than some WTF moments.
Jim
Posts: 1356
Date Joined: 05/05/06
Unlucky. My mate and I nearly
Unlucky.
My mate and I nearly had one land on his boat coming back in from lano. I was bouncing around asleep on the seat and wake up to him yelling. Felt like an atomic bomb went off! The shockwaves shook the boat and we didnt see the beast again. He said it was fully airborne, I only saw the explosion, it was a spin out waking up to that.
Bend over