15.09.2019 – Hitchhiking through the blue galaxy

A lady on board summed up our entire journey in two apt words: “Gentle and free!” There really is not much more to say, but since I’m writing a blog here, you still get to read a bit more. :)

Our quiet Sunday morning started with a sighting of peacefully travelling Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). It was just nice to see that THESE animals can go their own way, while others of their kind unfortunately have to suffer for human pleasure in dolphinariums. An immense suffering, triggered by a greedy animal tormentors industry and people who do not understand that captivity is harming on a grand scale. I think all of our guests realized that the only way to meet these animals is in a respectful way in their natural habitat. Thank you very much, dear guests!

A large school of Atlantic Spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis) completely captivated us! Such an indescribable feeling, when the boundaries disappear in an indeterminate way, you just become one in the viewing and immersed in this blue galaxy filled with beautiful animals!

The dolphin offspring was taken for Sunday excursion in the bow wave; jumps with special twist were shown; an adult animal with outstandingly beautiful spot design was admired, mating behavior was observed; dolphins glided gently and freely through their element.

And of course, the blog title has a special meaning! 🙂 If you are taken on this tour with us in the photo gallery for today’s blog, discover a hitchhiker of a special kind! A remora (Echeneidae) took advantage of the fast transfer and at the same time provided a friendly return! Remoras, also called ship sucker fish can grow up to 90 cm long. They probably received their name because they are also stuck to the hull of boats. But marine mammals are also desirable as a “taxi”. Here they have the advantage of a free means of transport, can possibly catch one or the other bite, the transporters, if these hunt and in return they free the benefactors with the cleaning of parasites. I think that’s a good deal!

A nice tour! Very gentle and free!

By Fatima Kutzschbach

Sightings of the day

Ribeira Brava

10:00 Bottlenose dolphins, Atlantic Spotted dolphins

Stenella

12:00 Bottlenose dolphins, Atlantic Spotted dolphins

15:30 Atlantic Spotted dolphins, Loggerhead Turtle