09.10.2020 – Oceanic kindergarten
October 16, 2020
12.10.2020 – Blue desert
October 18, 2020
Our Stenella had the pleasure of providing our lovely guests on board our afternoon tour with a spectacular Sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) encounter today. These gentle giants can display wonderful social behaviour at the surface between dives or simply use the time to relax and have a breather. The surface behaviour of these gentle giants could be observed at all angles today, giving the guests a good idea of why these enormous toothed whales belong to the most cultural and most impressive creatures to wander the earth.
Amongst the several perspectives of this lovely sighting were underwater encounters between a journalist on board and the little family of giants at the surface, leaving everyone on board slightly envious. Of course a special permits required to engage in such encounters and journalist Daniel Brinckman came to Madeira to document the islands diverse marine life, a wonderful trait that deserves to be shared with the world!
The only perspective, or rather surface behaviour, that was missing during the trip were the lifted flukes that indicate that the animal is about to plunge into the deep to forager squid. Well, you cant have everything but our team and guests were beyond satisfied with the magical encounter we were lucky to enjoy today!
By Paula Thake
Sightings of the day
Stenella
15:00 Sperm whales
