15.09.2023 – Unpredictable

It’s impossible to predict what to expect out at sea before we set off on our tours and, lately, the unpredictable weather has made finding animals a little more tricky. Luckily, there were several pods of dolphins crossing through the southwestern waters today, including a pod of Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis), the species targeted for our snorkelling tours. While our participants enjoyed a few brief approaches by these small cetaceans in the water, our Ribeira Brava ventured to a group of Short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus), large and gentle cetaceans that can be encountered in Madeira’s waters all year round.

We managed another sighting of pilot whales further east in the afternoon but, this time, the north wind picked up which forced these impressive animals to lunge above the choppy waves as they travelled downwind. This impressive sighting was further sweetened by an encounter with two separate pods of Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). One pod we encountered right before meeting the pilot whales and another spontaneously joined the pilot whales in their travels eastward. Despite the headaches this unpredictable weather has given our team these past days, the unpredictability of our lovely ocean simply leaves us all marvelled and we wouldn’t want it any other way.

By Paula Thake

Sightings of the day

Ribeira Brava

09:30 Short-finned pilot whales

13:30 Bottlenose dolphins, Short-finned pilot whales

Stenella

09:30 Atlantic spotted dolphins

13:30 Bottlenose dolphins, Short-finned pilot whales