01.12.2018 – Joyful moments

The last month of the year has begun and what better way to welcome the festive season than with a curious group of Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). The group was around 25-30 animals strong and consisted of both oceanic and coastal ecotypes, travelling East off the coast of Jardim do Mar. Bottlenose dolphins are one of the most intelligent animals on the planet and are notoriously curious creatures that enjoy swimming close to the coast, putting them into frequent contact with passing vessels. While we carefully dose the length of time we spend with all encountered cetaceans on every trip, we are especially careful with Bottlenose dolphins for exactly this reason.

Todays group was extremely curious and accompanied our traditional boat for some time, occasionally enjoying a quick surf at the vessels bow before our captain veered the Ribeira Brava eastward to meet a group of swift-travelling Short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus). The pilot whales were less interactive than the Bottlenose dolphins, probably due to the presence of several calves in the pod so we let the animals be after a brief amount of time to return to the marina.

Amidst all the joyful moments experienced during a sighting with cetaceans, one must keep in mind that the lives of these animals within their natural habitat must be respected. This is, after all, a season of giving so it’s the least we can offer the wonderful beings that make the eyes of our guests sparkle on a daily basis.

 By Paula Thake

Sightings of the day

Ribeira Brava

10:00 Bottlenose dolphins, Short-finned pilot whales