LogotipoLogotipoLogotipoLogotipo
  • Home
  • Tours
    • Ribeira Brava whale watching tour
    • Stenella whale watching tour
    • Snorkeling with Dolphins
  • Whale Watch
    • Sightings
    • Marine Life
    • Marine Protection
  • Madeira Island
    • All About Madeira Island
    • Macaronesia
    • Fauna and Flora
    • Local Trips
  • Our Approach
    • About Us
    • Crew
  • Contact
  • Blog
  • English
  • Deutsch
✕
            No results See all results
            09.11.2018 – Nocturnal sprinters
            November 25, 2018
            NATUR(E)ally cleaning
            November 27, 2018

            12.11.2018- Blue Steel

            Published by Marlene Cabral on November 26, 2018

            The ocean is an ever-changing ecosystem and while many of these changes are far from obvious, the colour and texture of the water surface can change spectacularly with changing weather and light conditions. The way the beautiful blue colour of the ocean changes throughout the course of day has always fascinated me. In the morning the ocean is a deep-fresh blue before changing into a more metallic colour as the afternoon progresses, which climaxes into a golden shimmer when the sun sets. The texture of the ocean surface changes with the weather conditions, with stronger winds and waves bringing more movement, making her look alive. As we set off on our afternoon tour aboard the Stenella today, the ocean looked metallic and rather turbulent, with strong gusts of wind constantlty interrupting the surface.

            The wind wasn’t the only force breaking the steel-blue surface of the Atlantic. The enormous globe-shaped heads of Short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus) that were swiftly moving west near Cabo Girao caught the eagle-eyes of our sensational spotter, Carlos, who then directed our captain, Daniel, towards the animals. In their usual strategic manner, they efficiently placed the Stenella close to the whales path so the animals would move past us. The swimming of pilot whales also seems to change with weather conditions. When the surface is calm they rest at the surface and move lethargically. On wavy days, the animals travel faster and lift their heads high above the surface in order to breathe properly. While these sightings are usually more brief due to the swift speed of the animals, they are nothing short of spectacular.

            After the encounter, Daniel masterfully maneuvered our zodiac back to the marina as a beautiful full rainbow formed along the coastline. The scenic romance was occasionally interrupted by some bumpy waves and the inevitable spray of water into the boat. Thankfully the Stenella was full of good sports who enjoyed every minute of the adventure!

            By Paula Thake

            Sightings of the day

            Stenella

            15:00 Short-finned pilot whales





            Share this:

            • Share
            • Facebook
            • LinkedIn
            • Twitter

            Like this:

            Like Loading...
            Share
            Marlene Cabral
            Marlene Cabral

            Related posts

            July 6, 2025

            30.06.2025 – Not all dolphins are the same…


            Read more
            July 5, 2025

            28.06.2025 – Fun day full of surprises


            Read more
            July 4, 2025

            27.06.2025 – Ocean safari


            Read more

            1 Comment

            1. Dorota says:
              November 26, 2018 at 20:16

              This was an awesome adventure. Thank you Paula, Daniel – and Carlos! I will come back for sure ?

              Reply

            Leave a Reply Cancel reply

            Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

            This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

            Lobosonda Whale Watching Madeira

            Booking: (+351) 968 400 980
            (Jun – Sep: 08:00h – 20:00h . Oct – May: 09:00h – 19:00h)

            Contact us directly via email:
            info@lobosonda.com

            Av. D. Manuel I, Porto da Calheta
            9370-133 Calheta, Madeira – Portugal

            Social

                       

            Quick Links

            Startseite
            Ausflüge
            Über uns
            Crew
            Häufig gestellte Fragen
            Kontakt

            Projetado por OurStudio, desenvolvido por Thinksolutions.pt
              English
                        No results See all results
                        • English
                        • Deutsch
                          %d