10.06.2025 – Rough winds

Today was a tough day out at sea. The first Stenella tour got lucky with an Atlantic spotted dolphin (Stenella frontalis) encounter in the morning. The pod was found a good distance towards the east and far out at sea. Meanwhile, the Ribeira Brava trip was quite the bumpy experience with a good deal of spray water and ended with no cetacean sightings. The conditions were considered too uncomfortable to enjoy and our captain made the call to cancel the second tour. Stenella went out for a second trip. This time heading west, all the way to Ponta do Pargo in hopes of some species in the calmer water there. Today‘s pattern continued with drenched guests and crew, and no sightings, leading to the cancellation of the last trip.

For me, this was an interesting day. I had to break the news about the last-minute tour cancellation to my guests on the second Ribeira Brava trip which was a first to me. (Everyone was very understanding and agreed that if the skipper deemed the sea too rough to go out, it is best not to.) The sudden change in our work schedule also gave the skipper and myself the opportunity to go adventuring. We went to Ponta do Pargo and spotted Stenella from the lighthouse viewpoint and paid a visit to our spotter. Seeing him do his job that is so vital for the experience we provide for our guests gave me some interesting insights that I look forward to sharing on board.

By Hannah Carstens

Sightings of the Day

Ribeira Brava

09:00 No sightings

13:30 Cancelled due to bad weather

Stenella

09:30 Atlantic spotted dolphins

13:30 No sightings

16:00 Cancelled due to bad weather