Marlin fishermen survive collision with whale off Cabo San Lucas

The whale, if it survived, must have the world's worst headache. As for the fishermen aboard Bad Company, they're fortunate to be safe and uninjured.

Two members of Team Bad Company, a group of elite anglers from Southern California, were fishing Wednesday off Cabo San Lucas and had caught several marlin before making a move. They were aware of the presence of whales and had placed a deckhand on lookout while cruising at 22 knots.

But nobody saw what hit them: presumably a large whale that apparently tried breaching, or lunging out of the water. It struck the hull of the 60-foot Viking yacht with such velocity that it nearly transformed the anglers into projectile missiles.

"It struck with such force that Pete was thrown several feet in the salon into the aft bulkhead," said Capt. Steve Lassley, in an email posted on the Team Bad Company website. "If I had not been with my back against my chair I would have been thrown from the bridge."

Lassley, who was referring to co-captain Pete Groesbeck, described what happened:

"We had seen whales everywhere all morning. Many breaching. One had jumped two days prior and hit a boat upon falling back into the water. We had just gotten the boat to 22 knots. Two people on the bridge looking for whales. When the bow was thrown straight up into the air: 40 tons of whale colliding with 40 tons of boat at 90-degree angles."

The photos show the high level of impact and damage to a high-end "fishing battlewagon" capable of cruising at 40 knots. Much of the fiberglass was stripped as the crew sped to reach port before the vessel sank.

It's an amazing story with a happy ending (unless you're the whale). A smaller vessel might have capsized. 

-- Pete Thomas

Photos: Team Bad Company

Comments

[Jess]

That happened to some fishing buddies in the same area about 4 years back. We were at Hotel Punta Colorada in Los Cabos on a fishing trip. There were six of us, so we split up into groups of 3. At the end of the day, we walk up to the bar at the hotel and one of our buddies had an ice pack on his head, another one had his head on the bar and the last one had this huuuge smile on his face to go along with a nasty shiner under one eye. Same thing happened; they were on there way in, presumably at high speed, when they hit a whale and got thrown all over the place. Luckily/Hopefully the whale was Ok. Yeah, yeah, my friends, too. But mostly the whale.

[Mary Ellen]

Too bad there wasn't more damaged to the boat...to keep them out of commission for a while or at least really think about what they are doing and the fact that THEY are in the whale's territory rather than the opposite!

[Marc]

Too bad Mary Ellen hasn't spent an ounce of time on the ocean. Hope you guys get Badger back on the water soon. I bet Mary Ellen would be shocked to know how many million $ you have won over the past few years competing in fishing tournaments... Keep up the good work.

[Leilani]

we just got back from Cabo on the 22nd and we saw whales every day while we were out on the water...this mama and baby were right by the boat for miles along with a stupit sea lion playing with the baby, just beautiful, but the mama did swim right under our boat, scared the kids, I had never seen them get so close. Maybe their eyes aren't what they used to be...or maybe the bottom of the boats should be painted a different color, like bright orange with red stripes across them ??? Hope the whales ok

[Jesse Henry]

seriously who is this mary ellen person a comment like that is as ignorant a comment ive heard in such a long time for one she obviously knows nothing of the funding and attention that responsible sportfishing brings to the environment in this neck of the woods and worldwide , these are the kind of people tivoing whale wars sitting in there houses babbling about the world instead of working on the front lines , Capt steve Lassley and Capt pete groesbeck are among , if not the most accomplished and responsible captains on the entire eastern pacific rim , this stuff happens unfortunately , one more shout out to mary ellen and all the whackos who armchair quarterback on the environment and all its wonderful inhabitants professional sportfishing is responsible for more environmental awareness worldwide than any other form of eco tourism , it takes third world nations who would have no knowledge or cares for the environment and employs them in the realm and industry of sportfishing and shows them the importance of taking care of these important resources , I personally travel the world on another boat just like bad companys and see the absolute benefits of boats like ours being in the whales world were making it a better place dailey , sorry about my punctuations im a Captain not an author , but im sure fed up with ignorant people and there comments dig in mary go see the world and for Gods sake get some sunshine youll learn somethin about your earth and feel better ........Captain Jesse Henry 56 viking DOGHOUSE . www.fishdoghouse.com

[lee]

Jesse says "seriously who is this mary ellen person a comment like that is as ignorant a comment ive heard in such a long time?".

Did you happen to think that running 22 knots where half the whales from the northern Pacific ocean are congregated with their calves might not be the smartest thing either? Esp after seeing them all around you.

Mary Ellen is right. We are in their territory. They were there first, long before all the yachts and money. And Marc, what in the world does the $$ millions that Bad Company has made in tournaments have to do with what Mary Ellen said? Am I supposed to care how much money they make? Why would I be? Am I supposed to be impressed? Not.

[csilvers]

maryellen is typical of the eviro wako's who can't imagine the good and enjoyment that comes from the ocean not to mention the economic benefit to the local community.Fishermen have been the sustinence to los cabos for generations.Take your granola and birkenstocks go back HOME to big sur!

[renee]

Folks, there's really room for us all out there..............whales and fishermen and environmentalists. .........
Having just returned from Baja, and experiencing gray whales and their young playing near our boats, and watching fisherman out in their boats in their work days, there's space. We're all in this together, and if we keep a sense of respect for all involved, we can exist together.......................

I think that speeding at 22 knots in an area known to be full of whales wasn't a very good decision, and thankfully no human died, and we can hope that no whale died for our human faults. We should drive slowly and carefully when whales are calving and raising their young............
And I ask you to consider:
Imagine for a moment, people racing their cars down your suburban street, and running over one of your kids playing outside.................and one of their cars is damaged.
Would we actually be concerned about the auto damage?
Just some thoughts for your consideration...........

[Larry Stauffer]

Thank God it was a Viking Yacht a lesser vessel surely would have sank on impact.