04.09.2017 – Late summer encounters

Today I spent the day guiding tours on our charming fishing vessel, the Ribeira Brava, with equally charming guests on board. During the morning tour we encountered the Common dolphin, a curious but very calm species we observe in larger aggregations during the winter months. The Atlantic spotted dolphin is our energetic and vibrant summer dolphin and was sighted during the midday tour along with a sunbathing Loggerhead turtle. We were surprised that this was the only turtle sighted as the conditions were ideal for these cold-blooded animals to come to the surface to regulate their body temperature. According to local researchers and the accumulated data which also Lobosonda has actively contributed to, Loggerheads are happiest at the surface when the sea is calm and cloud cover is at a minimum. An understandable correlation shared by many tourists here on the island.

The guests on the Stenella during the midday tour didn’t encounter a turtles but were able to observe no less than 4 species during the midday trip! Baleen whales have become more of a frequent sighting recently and things weren’t any different today. Both Stenella tours enjoyed a fantastic Bryde’s whale sighting.

by Paula Thake

Sightings

Ribeira Brava

09:00 Common dolphins

13:30 Atlantic spotted dolphins, Loggerhead turtle

Stenella

12:00 Common dolphins, Bottlenose dolphins, Sperm whale, Bryde’s whale

18:00 Bryde’s whale