I read with interest Emma Beddington’s piece on the ramming of yachts by orcas (The orca uprising: whales are ramming boats – but are they inspired by revenge, grief or memory?, 11 July). But the suggestion that the attacks might be a manifestation of some sort of cetacean socialism, targeting the yachts of the “ultra-wealthy”, doesn’t really wash.
While it’s true that billionaires do seem to have a thing for flashy boats, and there is huge appeal to the idea that nature might be butting against their profligate expressions of wealth and consumption, their vessels are generally way too big and fast to be bothered by orcas, even orcas with issues.
Most of the incidents involve small yachts, sailed by wanderers who find it a pretty cheap way to holiday or potter about the world with a minimal footprint. Many live aboard and don’t own a house. Secondhand, they can often be bought for the price of a new car or caravan. Last year, my brother and son sailed from Barcelona to the UK, passing thankfully unscathed through the orca-infested waters of the western Mediterranean, in a boat that cost about £15,000.
Sam Little
Plumley, Cheshire
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