11.02.2023 – No rush
February 20, 2023
16.02.2023 – Winter’s frosting
February 23, 2023
Todays northeast wind, also known locally as leste, brought misty conditions that did not make finding animals easy for our spotter Silviano. His sharp eyes detected a few Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) heading west along the coastline but the animals soon moved offshore so our crew decided to lend its support by searching further offshore. As we searched, we discovered several things at the surface including a plastic crate colonised with Gooseneck barnacles and Oceanic crabs, a few leaping Skipjacks (Katsuwonus pelamis) and the remains of a deep-sea squid carcass. Our guests often ask us whether these specimens are edible but their soft, watery tissue makes them more likely candidates for a smoothie than an actual meal. Moreover, squid are deep-sea predators, and the dark ocean is known to be a collecting basin for heavy metals, micro plastics and other contaminants which tend to accumulate in the organisms tissue. So much for that squid smoothie…
Towards the end of the trip, our captain Daniel saw leaps in the distance and we soon had the pleasure of encountering a pod of Short-beaked common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) that were busy hunting Halfbeaks (Belone belone). It was a medium-sized pod and it even contained a small calf that evidently was having a lesson in hunting this prized prey. The sighting was around 4 nautical miles offshore and the mist covering the island made it look like we were in the middle of the vast Atlantic Ocean. East winds sure do bring their challenges but they also set the mood for these incredible sightings.
By Paula Thake
Sightings of the day
Stenella
13:30 Short-beaked common dolphins
