12.09.2017 – Jumping high
September 20, 2017
14.09.2017 – Ecological and dangerous toys for whales
September 22, 2017
Today our traditional boat, the Ribeira Brava, had a day off and stayed docked at Calheta marina while our zodiac sped into the Atlantic to show our guests many fascinating animals. We encountered both Common dolphins and Atlantic spotted dolphins today, with both species happily interacting with our vessels. Lately we’ve had quite a few Sperm whale sightings, much to the delight of both our crew and our guests. Personally, sperm whale sightings belong to one of my favorite cetacean encounters. The knowledge on their biology and niche in the oceans already is an inspiring antidote, experiencing the animal in its natural habitat is just breathtaking.
The species can be recognised from afar by their spray and dorsal hump, that allows us to further differ them from other larger whales occurring in the area. In summer we tend to encounter larger bulls and females wth young curious calves that often approach our vessels in a series of shallow dives. During the evening tour, our guests had the delight of coming up close and personal with a very young calf that swam for a long time near the Stenella. The animal was so young that the body creases from birth were still visible and our guests were absolutely captivated by the animals inquisitive and playful nature as it fearlessly investigated the boat despite the absence of its mother. This little guy was the highlight of the season for some crew members and this encounter definitely won’t be forgotten by the guests who witnessed it.
by Paula Thake
Todays sightings
Stenella
09:00 Atlantic Spotted Dolphins
12:00 Common Dolphins, Sperm whales
18:00 Atlantic Spotted Dolphins, Sperm whales
