03.12.2020 – Canvas
December 10, 2020
10.12.2020- Cultural criteria
December 16, 2020
We were more than excited to finally go on a tour on our Stenella again and, after being deprived from cetacean encounters on our zodiac for over two weeks, our team would have already been overjoyed at encountering a small group of dolphins. The Atlantic, however, had other plans and delivered the full programme!
The tour started with a peaceful group of Short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus) that were swimming west in smaller units, one of which contained two little calves. As they travelled, the pilot whales frequently engaged in some foraging dives, taking their meal to go since they had to take turns looking after the younger pod members at the surface. Pilot whales are frequently seen in the company of Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) here in Madeira but, today, the Bottlenose remained further East and closer to shore and eyed us curiously as we drifted alongside them.
The Bottlenose dolphins may have been far from the pilots but were in the same sighting areas as a group of Sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus), who our spotter had observed diving at longer intervals close to Ribeira Brava as we left the marina for the tour. The deep canyon leading away from the island near Cabo Girão is an ideal hunting ground for these magnificent toothed whales but we were lucky to have arrived as the group began to regather at the surface and were soon surrounded by around ten Sperm whales!
It was incredible and (as if that wasn’t enough) our zodiac was then surprised by a cheeky group of Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis) as we were heading back to the marina! These playful and interactive dolphins were the perfect finale to wrap up this enjoyable morning out on the Atlantic…
By Paula Thake
Sightings of the day
Stenella
10:00 Atlantic spotted dolphins, Bottlenose dolphins, Short-finned pilot whales, Sperm whales
