08.05.2019 – Surface action
May 21, 2019
10.05.2019- Climate-(color)change
May 23, 2019
The ocean was calm and the suns rays strong as we cruised away from the marina in Calheta out into the Atlantic. As we were heading out, our captain Filipe suddenly steered the boat back towards the coastline and pointed towards the waters near Madalena do Mar. Before long the tall, prominent blow of a Fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) was visible from afar, instigating us to carefully approach the area. The animal turned out to be a curious juvenile and, to our surprise, began to approach our traditional boat. As it swam on the left side of the bow and barrel rolled near the surface, the large rorqual flashed the right side of its enormous head, displaying the characteristic white flash colouring its jaw and parts of its head.
Before long, another spout appeared further infant of the Ribeira Brava and a third animal also emerged as a shadow from the depths right under the bow of the boat. It was almost as if the whales were bow-riding, a behaviour we usually tend to associate with dolphins. The rorquals were swimming in group formation alongside our boat, probably engaging in some sort of mating behaviour where a female may be pursued by more than one male. This is fairly possible since oceanic islands like Madeira may serve as an ideal stop for Fin whales migrating across the Atlantic and studies have shown that they enjoy mating in the warm, temperate waters in lower latitudes. The arrival of another recreational boat promoted us to leave the animals be and head to observe two other, larger Fin whales further out in the Atlantic. These animals showed a more evasive behaviour, swiftly swimming West with speeds that proved that their nickname “Greyhounds of the ocean” is definitely well-deserved.
Although the animals kept their distance during the second sighting, a group of three bow-riding Fin whales its pretty hard to beat and is a spectacle I have never witnessed till this day! What a morning, I am incredibly happy for our lucky guests!
By Paula Thake
Sightings of the day
Ribeira Brava
10:00 Fin whales
