25.08.2022 – A day for the books

Today there was so much motion in the ocean and so much diversity and excitement that makes it hard to put into words.. The smiles on the faces of our guests say more than a thousand words though and I especially like the description of the two French girls in the evening who said its like being on drugs. Our morning started with a absolutely amazing Snorkeling trip with the ever so astonishing Atlantic Spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis). A huge pod of at least 60 dolphins swimming and socializing just underneath us. A true WOW moment!
The afternoon and evening didn’t stop to amaze and were a whale watching dream!  We encountered Blainville Beaked Whales (Mesoplodon densirostris) followed with a few attempts to sight the deepest diver of our oceans – the Cuviers Beaked Whale (Ziphius cavirostris). Not for no reason are they the rarest seen and least known about cetaceans in the sea, so unfortunately we only had a glimpse before it went for another dive. After a long while we also had the pleasure to meet the gentle and calm Risso’s dolphin (Grampus griseus). A deep diving dolphins that feeds on Squid and is black at birth and with age turn more and more white due to the scars made by the Squid fighting back. Atlantic Spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis) were also on the menu for the afternoon.
The evening was as good as it gets it terms of whale sightings. We had the pleasure to meet a resting Matriarchal pod of 10 Sperm Whale females and their calves. So peaceful to watch those giants rest at the surface after a long and deep dive and socializing.
A Loggerhead turtle was also in sight in between the sighting and all the excitement and to finish off we met a Mermaid having a shower in the Mermaid cave close to Calheta 😛

by Paulina Kalita

Sightings of the day

Ribeira Brava

10:00 Bottlenose dolphins, Atlantic Spotted dolphin

15:00 Spermwhale, Atlantic Spotted dolphins

Stenella

9:30 Atlantic Spotted dolphins

14:00 Blainville Beaked Whales, Cuviers Beaked Whales, Risso’s Dolphins, Atlantic Spotted dolphins

17:00 Atlantic Spotted dolphins, Sperm whales, Loggerhead turtle