23.10.2021 – Sperm whale bonanza

October is Sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) month here in Madeira…and what a month it has been so far! Our team has had the pleasure of sharing sightings of a few Sperm whale groups socialising and resting at the surface across the waters of the south coast with our guests. Today we had the pleasure of sharing some of these brilliant sightings with some frequent guests on board our Stenella.

In the morning we welcomed a family charter on board our zodiac and gently cruised from Sperm whale to Sperm whale, briefly watching the animals breathe deeply before taking the plunge into the dark depths in the waters in front of Madalena do Mar. The waters in this part of the island are characterised by a dynamic deep sea landscape, making it an ideal hunting environment for these giant toothed whales. After seeing at least 8 sperm whales, the group even was lucky enough to enjoy a quick sighting with a Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus), that was discretely foraging close to the aquaculture in front of Arco de Calheta. The largest toothed predators on earth followed by the rarest seal species in the world…now that’s a morning to remember. We especially hope that the little marine-biologist-to-be on board is now even more motivated to pursue her dream job!

We welcomed more frequent guests as well as a handful of lovely new faces on board in the afternoon and both our boats managed sightings with Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis) and Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). After our encounters with the dolphins, our spotter called to inform us that the Sperm whales had surface. This time the animals were at least 8 nautical miles from shore and our zodiac sped to the area. We managed yet another lovely sighting of a few animals resting at the surface and, once again, managed to return to the marina with some broad smiles on board. Mission accomplished! 

By Paula Thake

Sightings of the day

Ribeira Brava

10:00 Sperm whales

14:30 Atlantic spotted dolphins, Bottlenose dolphins

Stenella

11:00 Sperm whales, Mediterranean monk seal

15:00 Atlantic spotted dolphins, Bottlenose dolphins, Sperm whales