Whale hit by a jet ski in Vancouver. Jet skis need to be better controlled.

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Istiophoridae@reddit

Roads have speed limits, why shouldnt sea areas?

Sure its harder to manage, but what about the public ones where people crowd?

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They do have speed limits, but jet skis are significantly smaller than boats and are built for speed, so they have significantly higher speed limits. However, it is also easier to see a whale and avoid it when you are on a jet ski, and there are whale protection laws that hold people liable if they are undeniably at fault for hitting a whale. This person ignored warnings and should have been able to see the whale that close to the surface. They will get in trouble for jet skiing next to it and hitting it.

Hopefully, the whale isn't hurt too badly and can recover. While jet skis are fast, they are also significantly lighter than a whale, and mass does have an impact on the force of the collision.

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Firm_Objective_2661@reddit

Speed restrictions are not vehicle-dependent.

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TesseractToo@reddit

There is, I'm not sure where this happened but speed limits are 5 or 1o knots depending on the area https://vpd.ca/crime-prevention-safety/boating/

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InevitableOk3335@reddit

We have speed limits in New Zealand we have 5-knot zones in marinas, harbours, and near shore you’ve gotta slow right down. If you’re near people, boats, or wildlife, you’re expected to reduce speed or you can get fined under Maritime NZ rules.

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Ms_Emilys_Picture@reddit

Some places, usually close to shore, have "no wake zones", which are basically a speed limit.

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TokenEffort1@reddit

Yeah, harbours are often 6knots no wake. Sadly there’s really no framework beyond that where high traffic areas or somewhere there might be a slim chance of encountering a whale are restricted accordingly.

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tsunamiev@reddit

Even in lakes boats have speed limits, I’m sure there are for seas too. Just not sure about specifics in CA

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Loislanesays@reddit

This enrages me. Poor whale. Humans are such trash

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ChubbyGreyCat@reddit

The frustrating thing is the whale has been in the area for weeks. It’s been posted all over social media and there were groups of people out watching it.

Local environmental groups have been asking DFO to add in extra patrols in areas that grey whales have been reported feeding to try and control traffic around them.

For those saying the whale is probably fine, there’s been research out of Atlantic Canada that shows vessel strikes with small watercraft can still significantly injure or kill whales. Bones can beak, blunt force trauma to the spine and head area can leave the whale concussed or paralyzed.

It’s very sad and very frustrating, these poor beings can’t even go about their lives without morons crashing shit into them.

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SJIS0122@reddit

Ouch

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poopfacecrapmouth@reddit

I don’t know if that was intentional. It looks like the whale comes up just as the jetski is going across in that space. Real tough to turn sharp in that amount of time and obviously jetskis can’t just stop. Just a sad unfortunate incident

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awolbob@reddit

That clown just used a whale as a ramp

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Rx_Diva@reddit

This furiates me as much as ATVs in dry forests. People suck.

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Tempest1911@reddit

Hes an idiot for sure, but that whale will probably hardly have felt that right?

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TesseractToo@reddit

It will be injured, they aren't that big, plus it looks like he got it in the head

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InevitableOk3335@reddit

You’d be in pretty serious trouble in New Zealand if that happened here, even if it was accidental.

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TesseractToo@reddit

Yeah it's serious in Canada too especially with the heartbreaking grey whale die off that's going on

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xziggy72x@reddit

Is the whale okay?

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Happy-Wishbone4562@reddit

No

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Happy-Wishbone4562@reddit

It has died

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TesseractToo@reddit

There's no evidence or reports that this whale has died. Please don't spread false rumors.

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TesseractToo@reddit

No updates yet

https://www.reddit.com/r/VictoriaBC/comments/1t45ds9/grey_whale_hit_by_jet_ski/#lightbox

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Wildjergins@reddit

Not taking the side of the jet skier here, he was clearly going too fast, but as some one who has spent a lot of time on water and wildlife watching I just want to point out for the people that are saying it looks like he hit it intentionally- being almost on plane with the surface and especially the way the light hits the water at this time of day, there’s no way that jet skier saw the whale before hand and it didn’t surface until seconds before. You can also see the jet skier react like “wtf was that” immediately after. Jet skis are water jet propelled (no propeller or anything sharp) so hopefully the whale went mostly unharmed!

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Rammipallero@reddit

Jetski should be illegal outside governmental use in life saving and military. 1. Doesn't have the capability to transport people like a boat does, is purely a personal vehicle. 2. Doesn't have the ability to transport cargo like a regular boat, is mostly for getting a person to go from a to b. 3. Fast and designed to be fun, not useful, this means that people ride them like idiots and often break or disregard safety and rules on the water.

Nothing is lost with these.

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ZARDOZ4972@reddit

All of the reason you listed fit on a lot of vehicles humans use.

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Rammipallero@reddit

They do. But most vehicles move on roads that are meant for it and are specific built for vehicle use. Open water is different in that the enviroment is absolutely uncontrollable and there is alot more risks involved. And to be fair, I'd be up to banning race motorboats/similar fast boats that are used like jet skis and I'd ban motorised vehicles such as enduro motorcycles and quadson wild trails too outside of work/official use.

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Embarrassed_Feed_102@reddit

jet skis are disgusting and so people who are using them

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Necessary_Sea_7127@reddit

What a piece of shit

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TokenEffort1@reddit

On the Isle of Wight we used to call jet-skiers sea-chavs.

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Burntoastedbutter@reddit

People were yelling at him to slow down... Even if he couldn't hear them, he can't be that blind right? Why does it look like he wanted to intentionally use the whale as a ramp for that jump :(

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mzzchief@reddit

That whale doesn’t look like it’s going to be okay. Took a direct hit to its blow hole/ head with whatever rotors power that thing.

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ShowAccurate6339@reddit

Jetskis usually don’t Use Rotors, they propel themselves via waterjet

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spoiled__princess@reddit

Absolutely horrifying. Does anyone know what whale group it was?

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XIprimarch@reddit

In Canada, if someone injures or kills a whale intentionally or through serious negligence, it can fall under animal cruelty laws: • Maximum penalty: up to 5 years in prison

I’d say it looks intentional.

Can you report to Fisheries and Oceans Canada

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Zarawatto@reddit

Bro I NEVER had the luck to even sight one of these gorgeous creatures and then some negligent randoms come this close to one of them... What are the odds!?

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DerWal_2021@reddit

Don't worry, Jet skis are mostly propelled with waterjets, so it didn't cut into the whale. Still, driving around like that should be illegal with any kind of seaborne vehicle, just an accident waiting to happen and I can't imagine the sounds being nice for our sound sensitive underwater brothers.

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leopardsatehisface@reddit (OP)

Original video from u/Dear_Grocery