24.05.2024 – Exploring the vast blue
June 1, 2024
27.05.2024 – Gratitude
June 3, 2024
Whale-watching in Madeira can be totally unpredictable. The outstanding (and somewhat terrifying) 2000 m of Atlantic Ocean below your feet can bring things that may even confuse seasoned professionals.
Today, following lovely encounters with spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis), loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta), and man-o’-war (Physalia physalis), a call came over the captain’s telephone. Our vigia (spotter) had picked up some beaked whales that we should go and watch. What species? We asked. Well… he couldn’t tell.
We rushed over and stopped gently at the spot, making sure not to surprise any potential sightings, and at this point, the fun began. We waited, knowing full well that some beaked whales would reach all the way to the Madeiran seafloor and stay there for hours. We waited, knowing full well that these tricky-to-spot cetaceans include some of the least seen and researched populations on earth. We waited until, finally, they appeared. On the horizon, we watched them dive. Still none the wiser as to the species. 25 minutes later, they appeared again, next to us, crystal clear in the Madeiran water. The guests looked to the guide. The guide looked to the captain….. and we could confidently say it was…. a beaked whale of some kind??
Our current best guess is Gervais’ beaked whale (Mesoplodon europaeus), but watch this space as our photos from our last trips will go to experts at the Whale Museum for further ID.
By Peter Worth
Sightings of the day
Click on each sighting to access the photo gallery of the correspondent trip
Ribeira Brava
13:30 Atlantic Spotted Dolphins, Beaked whale sp.
Stenella
13:30 Loggerhead Turtle, Atlantic Spotted Dolphins, Beaked whale sp.
16:00 Atlantic Spotted Dolphins
