05.08.2026 – Let me see those teeth !
August 12, 2026
On clear days, when looking southeast from Madeira, they are clearly visible: The Desertas. The archipelago consists of three islands Ilhéu Chão, Deserta Grande, and Bugio, which lie about 12 miles from the eastern tip of Madeira. Together, they now form the Ilhas Desertas Nature Reserve.
Here you’ll find an extraordinary diversity of species, including the rare monk seal (Monachus monachus) and various seabirds. The endemic Desertas tarantula (Hogna ingens) also found exclusively on Deserta Grande. But the Desertas were not always solely a place of nature conservation. Over the centuries, the islands were used in various ways. During World War II, observation posts were erected on Deserta Grande to monitor shipping traffic in the area. Later, these so called “vigias” took on a completely different role. They were used by whalers to keep watch for whales from their elevated vantage points.
Where people once searched for whales to hunt them, the focus today is on observing and protecting these animals in their natural habitat.
For me, it’s wonderful to see how the tradition of this old profession has been preserved to this day, while at the same time representing a shift in our relationship with the sea and its inhabitants.
By Malina Labowsky
Sightings of the day
Ribeira Brava
09:00 Atlantic spotted dolphins
13:00 Bottlenose dolphins
16:30 Common dolphins
Steno
09:30 Atlantic spotted dolphins, Bottlenose dolphins
13:30 Bottlenose dolphins
16:30 Common dolphins
