17.10.2019 – Can I take your order, Sir?

Our team avoids making any assumptions or requests when going out to sea. We never  really know what awaits us out on the vast Atlantic but some guests seem to be magnets for certain animals. It’s almost as if the ocean acknowledges their positive energy. Dennis, a clever little fella who is a frequent guest on  our whale-watching trips is a notorious onboard magnet for the largest of all toothed whales, the Sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus). 

The giants were 5 miles off the coast of Tabua and our spotter already warned us ahead that the animals were diving at short intervals into the abyss and, unfortunately for us, such dives can be up to an hour long. Luckily these huge predators tend to exist as compact groups…and of course we had Dennis on board, so we weren’t too concerned. The animals disperse when they dive to hunt and could pop up anywhere within the huge sighting area. Since the encountered pods in Madeira are usually matrilineal in nature, small calves can often be spotted. Calves are still too young and inexperienced to forage in the deep, dark ocean and usually remain at the surface waiting for their older peers, often curiously inspecting everything they see. The young calf today also showed some brief interest in our boat before clumsily swimming away, lifting its blocky head above the small waves as it did so. 

Our spotter also managed to locate a group of calm and curious Atlantic Spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis) that were travelling west further inshore from the Sperm whales. Judging by the size and behaviour of the group, it was probably the same school of spotted we had been encountering over the past few days.The biggest giveaway of this specific group is a tiny, pink-bellied leaping calf that acrobatically darts and summersaults several times into the air. We can only know for certain by checking our photos but, judging by the presence of this specific calf, it is highly likely. 

The third species sighted on this eventful trip were the Short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus) and these were encountered both at the beginning and at the end of our trip. Our traditional boat also saw the Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) that were seen travelling with the group before we arrived. During our first sighting they were rather evasive and seemed more occupied with hunting but, as we met them again at the end of our trip, the animals were casually logging at the surface. Then all our guests, including Dennis, could finally appreciate the calm, peaceful nature of these magnificent creatures. 

 By Paula Thake

Sightings of the day

Ribeira Brava

10:00 Bottlenose dolphins, Short-finned pilot whales

Stenella

11:00 Atlantic Spotted dolphins, Short-finned pilot whales, Sperm whales, Loggerhead turtle