15.06.2026 – Ocean fiascos

Today our latest addition to the guide team, Juliette, had her first day out on the Atlantic Ocean with our team; and what a day it was! We kicked off our morning tour with a pod of Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), a species Juliette is all too familiar with from her time working as a biologist in Croatia. We then had an encounter that was even special for us here in Madeira – a few larger baleen whales, likely Bryde’s whales (Balaenoptera edeni) were feeding together with Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis). Both these tropical water lovers are expected visitors during the summer months – but this year has topped all the past years I had worked as a guide both with baleen whale sightings as well as with associative feeding events.

Associative feeding events are the oceans fiascos – a gathering of top predators all relying on each others expertise in catching the prey and waiting for their moment of advantage. They are feasts, displays of diversity and give us  a taste of the beauty that exists in pristine and protected oceans. For Juliette, today’s events were her introduction to Madeiras waters and the bounty of life that she can expect to witness here, welcome Juliette!

By Paula Thake

Sightings of the day

Ribeira Brava

09:00 Bottlenose dolphins

13:00 Atlantic spotted dolphins, Short-finned pilot whales

Steno

09:30 Atlantic spotted dolphins, Bottlenose dolphins, Bryde’s whales

13:30 Atlantic spotted dolphins, Short-finned pilot whales