15.08.2022 – Sudden shifts

Being prepared for a sudden change in conditions is absolutely necessary when working at sea. You never know what may happens next and adapting to any sort of shift in a situation can be incredibly decisive.

Keeping an eye on shifts in behaviour in observed Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis) during our snorkelling tours is vital to keep our impact on the animals as minimal as possible. After all, it is a more invasive activity than your usual whale-watching tour and keeping a watchful eye on the groups of dolphins also helps ensure the safety of our participants. The dispersed pod was curious but difficult to spot out on the grey ocean and our team was anticipating the approach of there other whale watching boats. We made the most of the encounter by observing the outermost subgroups of the pod, the ones most likely to be encountered by the other boats and had a wonderful time in the water.

Our traditional boat managed an additional sighting of Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the morning but did not leave the marina in the afternoon due to strong Northwest winds. Our Stenella shot out to brave this sudden change in weather and our spotter turned his sharp eyes to the east, where he found the groups of spotted and bottlenose dolphins that saved the last two trips of the day.

Our team takes pride in its experience and our ability to adapt to the given situations at sea but we know that, at the end of the day, it’s all about being responsible around the animals and what we get back is beyond precious.

By Paula Thake

Sightings of the day

Ribeira Brava

10:00 Atlantic spotted dolphins, Bottlenose dolphins

Stenella

09:30 Atlantic spotted dolphins

14:00 Atlantic spotted dolphins

17:00 Atlantic spotted dolphins, Bottlenose dolphins