Previous to every trip to the ocean, us guides give a briefing to our guests – Explaining our work, the company’s values, safety aspects and what to expect on the tour. One of my favourite moments during the briefing is when I explain about one of our most valuable team members – the spotter. Madeira is a special place – a wide, deep sea ocean, offering food for plenty of species. It is a big ocean, where we never know where we encounter animals and of which kind. Only with the help of the spotter can we have such a great success rate on our trips. I introduce the spotter as a man holding three important things – some very powerful binoculars, lots of experience but most importantly, plenty of patience. How long could you last searching for wildlife in such a vast place? Always aware that many guests’ hopes and expectations depend on you? The best moment is when I explain, that the spotter is able to tell us, from land, the species which he believes to see. The face expressions of my guests respond instantly with scepticism – How would he do that? What kind of magic trick is that? If you only spend enough time observing these beautiful creatures, you will notice the typical behaviour, group and individual size. Looking at today’s encounters for example – Whilst Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) are large animals and often swim calmly, in small groups of 5 to 10 individuals closeby the coasts, the Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis) are about half of the size of a Bottlenose dolphin. Instead, they gather regularly in groups of dozens of individuals, often acrobatically and actively dash around several miles off the shore. You will have to join a trip yourself to understand the differences amongst the divers species, and to assure yourself of the spotters’ magic powers.
by Sarah Kather
Sightings of the day
Ribeira Brava
09:30 Atlantic spotted dolphins, Bottlenose dolphins
13:30 Bottlenose dolphins
Stenella
09:30 Atlantic spotted dolphins, Bottlenose dolphins
13:30 Atlantic spotted dolphins, Bottlenose dolphins
16:30 Atlantic spotted dolphins, Bottlenose dolphins
