12.08.2025 – Optimisation

While our experience at sea does not change the fact that our sightings depend on a healthy portion of luck, our team does not leave everything to chance at sea. Particularly on days when both our spotters, Carlos and Silvíano, scan the ocean from either flank of our search area, our trips are planned strategically in the background by our team. This helps ensure that we see as much as possible but also should ensure that our impact during a sighting is minimal by avoiding too many boats with a single group of animals.

This morning our speedboat managed a brief sighting of Sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) that briefly surfaced for a breather before plunging back into the abyss when we arrived. We then moved on to a hunting group of Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis) before gliding alongside a peaceful pod of Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). Through careful planning, we managed a close sighting with both dolphin species especially with the Bottlenose, a species that tends to display a more cautious behaviour towards boats.

In the afternoon we managed yet another sighting with Bottlenose dolphins but did not manage a sighting on our last trips. Sometimes our efforts and strategy are not enough to achieve a sighting but this is a reality our team has learned to accept.

By Paula Thake

Sightings of the day

Ribeira Brava

09:00 Bottlenose dolphins

13:00 Bottlenose dolphins

16:30 No sightings

Stenella

09:30 Atlantic spotted dolphins, Bottlenose dolphins, Sperm whales

13:30 Bottlenose dolphins

16:30 No sightings