08.10.2026 – Farewell

My time as a guide in the “blue office” is coming to an end, and I cannot thank everyone enough for all the wonderful tours and the diverse encounters with our friends – the marine mammals and other creatures of the ocean. I founded the company Lobosonda with my husband in 2001 and spent nearly 15 years out at sea every day. As the company grew, so did my responsibilities on land; I found myself spending more and more time in front of the computer, and I missed the excursions. Our daughter Joana now runs the business, allowing me the luxury of joining trips as a guide once again. Due to various staff shortages during the peak season, I found myself back out on the water – what a gift of fate. I thank all the guests with whom I was able to share my joy and knowledge. I thank all the staff for the warm welcome into the “blue team.” I thank the captains for their expert and safe handling of the boats, even in rough seas. I thank the spotters ‘vigias’ for their hard work on land at the binoculars. And, of course, I thank all the marine mammals I had the pleasure of meeting again. Today we saw: two Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) swimming close to the coast off Calheta; two pods of Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis) feeding and then resting far offshore over depths of 2,000 to 3,000 meters; and finally, a Blainville’s beaked whale (Mesoplodon densirostris) that surfaced unexpectedly on our way back to the harbor, appearing just for the nice Dutch lady! 😉 Not to mention the gracefully soaring Cory’s shearwaters (Calonectris borealis) and the flying fish (Cheilopogon melanurus) that appeared on the return journey, leaping from the water right in front of our boat. Keep these sightings close to your heart and join me in marveling at the wonders of our ocean, which is so worthy of protection.

by Claudia Gomes

Sightings of the day