03.04.2026 – Glassy

Our Friday was filled with sightings of beautiful Short-beaked common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) on a beautiful, flat ocean. The glassy, calm waters and bright sunlight truly made it feel like a summers day today, with conditions allowing beautiful shots of these ornamental dolphins as well as of other visitors to our waters at this time of the year. Other encounters included a lovely sighting of Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) and Striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba).

Winter storms bring a spring tide of Portuguese Man O’Wars (Physalia physalis), colonial cnidarians whose movement across the oceans hinges on currents and winds. While their arrival may represent a dismay to swimmers enjoying the sunny weather, it also represents an abundance of food for their predators. One predator in particular has shared the ocean with these hydrozoans for thousands of years, leaving it immune to the colony’s powerful sting; the Loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta).

Apart from goring on man o’wars, the Loggerheads also use the good weather to bask in the sun, a resting behaviour that helps remove parasites on their shell and regulate body temperature after a few cold dives.

By Paula Thake

Sightings of the day

Ribeira Brava

09:00 Short-beaked common dolphins

13:00 Short-beaked common dolphins, Loggerhead turtles

Stenella

09:30 Short-beaked common dolphins, Striped dolphins

13:30 Short-beaked common dolphins, Loggerhead turtle

16:00 Bottlenose dolphins, Short-beaked common dolphins