Masters of the survival between the elements

In addition to potentially whales and/or dolphins there is also a chance to see “special guests” on our tours through the wide blue of the Atlantic Ocean. Those can be diverse sea birds, marine turtles, jellyfish or flying fish.

The latter have a very nice appearance. But can they really fly as their name is suggesting? We usually see them in the coastal zone when they are leaping out of the water and glide over the waves. It´s quite intriguing how far they can go like this but they are not able to stay up in the air for more than around 30 seconds and cover up to a few hundred meters.

Anyway, their abilities are very impressive. In an environment full of hungry predators those members of the beloniforms (order Beloniformes) developed very broad, wing-shaped pectoral fins, strong shoulder and chest muscles and a deeply forked tail fin. Those are just some of the morphological changes in adaptation to glide over the surface and therefore escape from the jaws of bigger and faster hunters.

There are 50 species divided into 7 genera of flying fish (Exocoetidae). They all occur in tropical and subtropical seas around the globe. Around Madeira we see mostly Cheilopogon spec. – a sliver-blue body, transparent wings and big eyes. Truly special guests and a challenge for every photographer.

by Jan-Christopher Fischer