02.09.2024 – Close and far

Today I was asked by guests whether the animals come close to the boat. There is no general answer to this question. How close or far a contact will be depends on the one hand on the respective marine mammal species and on the other hand on the current situation or behaviour of the animals. For example, we may encounter an otherwise interactive dolphin species when they are in hunting mode, but we will not play a role. And we shouldn’t, because in this situation we would disturb the animals’ feeding behaviour. These animals need every opportunity to feed undisturbed. The frequency with which a species is observed, such as the coastal bottlenose dolphins, can also play a role in whether animals want to interact with us. After several contacts with the boats, they probably prefer to keep their distance.

Today we saw Blainville’s beaked whales (Mesoplodon densirostris) from a distance and only very briefly. They dived into the depths as we approached. However, the Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis) rode curiously in the bow wave of the Ribeira Brava.

The Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) at midday were in high spirits today and accompanied us. A real gift. After a while we turned off and they went on their way.

By Fatima Kutzschbach

Sightings of the day

Ribeira Brava

09:30 Blainville’s beaked whales, Atlantic spotted dolphins

13:30 Bottlenose dolphins

Stenella

09:30 Blainville’s beaked whales, Atlantic spotted dolphins

14:00 Bottlenose dolphins, Rough-toothed dolphins

17:00 Bottlenose dolphins