11.10.2023 – Bottlenose dolphins and their favourite feeding spot
October 18, 2023
13.10.2023 – Always something new
October 21, 2023
Our team did not have an easy time today at sea. The first contributing factor to this was simply the lack of cetaceans out on the Atlantic. The second more concerning factor was the enormous fire that was quickly engulfing the west side of our beautiful island.
The fire was already burning viciously in the morning as our team was observing a small pod of Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) that were circling through the waters outside Jardim do Mar, likely foraging for prey. As we drove back to Calheta the southeast wind began to pick up which was bad news for our team…but worse news for the firemen fighting the flames. The east wind quickly caused the fire to spread towards the west until the flames reached Ponta do Pargo. Our traditional boat searched the waters in front of Paul do Mar for the Bottlenose dolphins from the morning tour and everyone on board witnessed the sad scene of the fire spreading. Our Stenella crew, on the other hand, tried its luck further east but also didn’t manage to track down any cetaceans.
It was a difficult day and we hope that things take a better turn for the firefighters trying to control the flames. As a popular and very optimistic Portuguese saying goes: tomorrow is another day.
By Paula Thake
Sightings of the day
Ribeira Brava
09:30 Bottlenose dolphins
13:30 No sighting
Stenella
09:30 Bottlenose dolphins
13:30 No sighting
16:30 No sighting
