20.05.2017 – Sparkling water
May 26, 2017
23.05.2017 – “Not fish, nor meat”
May 28, 2017
What a wonderful start in the new week. Both boats were lucky to observe an active school of bottlenose dolphins, short time after leaving the marina. The dolphins approached, dived under the boats and surfed our bow-waves. A second school of the same species were also interested in us and even performed jumps and leaps close by. In moments like this, we can admire their flukes shaped by nature design.
Often we got asked, if the dolphins would stay around Madeiran waters all year long. Regarding the bottlenose dolphins a study showed, that around 500 individuals per year passes through here. Approximately 125 bottlenose dolphins of those 500 are considered to be locals, so they are called resident dolphins. All other, dolphins species, will only pass by and use the coastal waters of Madeira for a short time (called transients). We have to imagine them as part of a big population, living in the waters of Northern East Atlantic. They probably travel somewhere in between Madeira, the Azores, the Canary Islands, main land Portugal and African mainland.
by Astrid Haas
Todays Sightings:
Ribeira Brava
10.00: Bottlenose dolphins
Stenella
10.00: Bottlenose dolphins
