30.12.2019 – Birds of a feather
January 7, 2020
02.01.2020 – A quick glance
January 9, 2020
2020 was a firework festival away and our team used the day to enjoy some lovely sightings before the big night. Our time at sea was well spent with some familiar faces; a pod of Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) emerged from the Atlantic Ocean, with some animals surfing the wake at our bow as they travelled eastward. The dolphins ride the waves to save energy as they travel and we were happy to provide them with the inertia since it also granted us a closer look at these charismatic creatures.
The fact that the dolphins adapt their speed to that of our boat to bowride also shows how interactive they are. Although Bottlenose dolphins are considered as one of the most social and interactive of all cetacean species, they can be quite timid and avoid our boats so it was lovely to witness them in such a curious mood today. This is yet another example of how special sightings in the wild are as opposed to the staged ones in dolphinariums. Perhaps the upcoming decade will be one of change, where our relentless exploitation of the natural environment will cease and keeping such intelligent animals in captivity will be a cruel tale of the past. We can only look forward and work for the best!
On that note, we would like to wish all our guests a happy and healthy new year, may it be full of many beautiful adventures.
By Paula Thake
Sightings of the day
Ribeira Brava
10:00 Bottlenose dolphins
Stenella
10:00 Bottlenose dolphins
