08.02.2018 – Airborne encounters

The guests on board the Stenella were in for a real treat today, enjoying encounters with three different species of cetaceans. The trip began with a handful of large, oceanic Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) swimming in close vicinity to a group of Short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus). We spent a while at the sighting as I explained the biology of the animals to our guests. Everyone was ready to head back to the marina but then our spotter Carlos called to inform us of sighting ten nautical miles off the coast! Having sightings at such a distance to the coast makes expressing the utmost respect for our spotter almost inevitable. Our captain, Daniel, turned the boat and we sped out into the open ocean.

Far out in the area of the sighting, we were greeted by a group of Short-beaked common dolphins (Delphinus delphis). While some of the animals curiously approached our boat, others were busy hunting. While hunting these dolphins often leap into the air flaunting their hydrodynamic build and decorative hourglass pattern. The sighting had to be brief as the trip was coming to an end, so Daniel accelerated and we sped back over the waves. As we approached the marina, two large Bottlenose dolphins shot out of the water high up into the air. These large delphinids can jump up to 5m high and one theory is that they do so to inspect their surroundings above the surface.

As far as sightings of dolphins go, these jumps are always a joy to witness but can more or less be expected from such surface-active, air-breathing, curious mammals. What one does not expect is a fish to jump and fly out of the water. This is precisely what the Flying fish (Exocoetidae) do to escape from predators. The extension of their wing-like pectoral fins allows these fish to become airborne, as they propel themselves and hover above the ocean surface. One individual did so today, probably assuming the Stenella was a fast-approaching predator and shot out of the water, gliding around 1 and a half meters (!!) above the surface. This allowed everyone to admire the sky-blue color of the fish and its pink-tinted wings, as it made its elegant and masterful escape.

By Paula Thake

Sightings of the day

Stenella

15:00 Bottlenose dolphins, Short-beaked common dolphins, Short-finned pilot whales, Flying fish