04.02.2022 – Not a simple task
February 10, 2022
11.02.2022 – Opportunists
February 18, 2022
The curtain of mist along the south coast did not make finding animals easy at all for our crew today. Our spotter informed us of a group of dolphins hastily heading for Funchal this morning but unfortunately the group had already travelled too far east and was out of range for our traditional boat.
As we searched the waters far off the coast to strategically support our spotters scanning of the ocean, his sharp eyes soon fell on a group of around 10 Blainville’s beaked whales (Mesoplodon densirostris) that were repeatedly diving around 3 miles off the coast of Madalena do Mar. The misty conditions did not help in finding these timid and extremely discrete cetaceans but our careful search soon bore fruit. The small triangular fins and golden brown bodies of the beaked whales resurfaced in front of Calheta and our crew at sea managed a lovely sighting with the animals. What a pleasure it was to see these animals close up!
We were able to enjoy another sighting with the beaked whales this afternoon after our spotter managed to track down two groups travelling west off the coast of Estrela da Calheta. Our team managed an even closer encounter with our zodiac and I was able to make some pictures of the dorsal scars on the females and alpha male which serve as an important feature for photo identification and age determination for scientists studying their populations.
Long-term research on the species has also shed light on the importance of Madeira as a habitat. The first documented sighting of the species in the archipelago’s waters was recorded in 1917 and, ever since, Blainville’s beaked whales are considered the most frequently sighted beaked whale species in the region with recent studies even confirming the long-term site fidelity of certain groups.
Beaked whales have less surface time and are known to be timid by nature, making them especially difficult to approach so it’s marvellous to be able to share this valuable information with our guests. We hope that everyone on board enjoyed these priceless moments with the animals as much as we did!
By Paula Thake
Sightings of the day
Ribeira Brava
10:00 Blainville’s beaked whales
Stenella
15:00 Blainville’s beaked whales
