09.03.2023 – Ping pong
March 15, 2023
11.03.2023 – Our responsibility
March 18, 2023
It sure wasn’t easy to find cetaceans out on the ocean today but our crew came up with a great strategy to make the most out of the situation. Since the wind was expected to pick up further east, our spotter decided to send us to the waters in the west. Here, we planned to search 2 nautical miles off the coastline until Ponta do Pargo, the western tip of Madeira Island, and either search the waters in the Northwest or continue searching the southwest further offshore at 5-6 nautical miles. Before we reached the underwater plateau beyond Paul do Mar, a few grey tall fins suddenly broke the surface.
A pod of Bottlenose dolphins (Tursios truncatus) was moving discreetly through the southwestern waters and were curious enough to accompany our zodiac for a while. Our crew always feels like we are also being observed when we are with Bottlenose dolphins, since the powerful dolphins often lift their heads high above the surface as they travel alongside our boats. After making eye contact with several of the dolphin pod members, our guests had the pleasure of enjoying a drive along the coastline. It wasn’t easy but it ended up being a marvellous afternoon!
By Paula Thake
Sightings of the day
Stenella
16:00 Bottlenose dolphins
