03.10.2022 – Satin

After all the windy days the end of September brought us, it was simply magnificent to once again experience a calm and placid Atlantic Ocean today. Easterly winds even brought some sand from the Sahara and the suspended particles in the air didn’t make spotting animals from land easy but  gave the sky a beautiful golden colour, setting the perfect mood for wonderful encounters at sea.

The day began and ended with sightings of our summer dolphins, the Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis), with the first encounters happening underwater during our snorkelling tour. A massive group, even containing several calves, curiously approached our guests in the water and we all returned to the marina with broad smiles and full of love for these curious little cetaceans. In the afternoon the spotted dolphins dispersed, making both our traditional boat and zodiac engage in a few u-turns to find them but, when we did, it was magical as always.

Peering through or below the surface into the eyes of a dolphin is so humbling and makes the world feel so much bigger. The curiosity of the spotted dolphins makes such humbling moments quite a frequent occurrence during our tours but, even after the 100th time, it simply never gets boring!

By Paula Thake

Sightings of the day

Ribeira Brava

14:30 Atlantic spotted dolphins

Stenella

09:30 Atlantic spotted dolphins

15:00 Atlantic spotted dolphins