02.01.2020 – A quick glance 

After a beautiful new year celebration both our our boats left the marina of Calheta to brave the windy conditions out on the Atlantic. Almost miraculously, our spotter managed locate a small compact group of Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) moving upwind amongst the white caps of waves on the ocean. As our boats carefully closed in on the animals we noticed a few young calves safely enclosed in the centre of the group before approaching our boats alongside their mothers. The spray emitted from their blowholes as they unanimously surfaced to breathe was barely visible with all the wind and white caps.

All whales and dolphins breathe through their blowhole which is in fact the animal’s nose. It is strategically located on the top of their heads allowing the animals to leave their heads submersed below the surface as they travel or hunt. Calves stay close to their mothers in the first years of their lives and, amongst other things, learn how to breathe at regular and healthy intervals. The young animals are still slightly clumsy when it comes to breathing and swimming, especially under such weather conditions so they are more likely to lift their heads above the surface to breathe properly. 

This, however, also satisfies the young calve’s curiosity about everything happening at the surface so they catch a quick glance as they lift their head for a breather. We managed to make eye contact with several of these young animals; a truly humbling experience and a great way to start the new decade. 

By Paula Thake

Sightings of the day

Ribeira Brava

10:00 Bottlenose dolphins

Stenella 

10:00 Bottlenose dolphins