09.01.2020 – Light sleeper
The ocean welcomed us with rainbows in the sky as we sped out aboard our zodiac this morning. Our sightings included bow-riding Striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba), a small shy Loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta), a By-the-wind-sailor (Velella velella) and several Yellow-legged…
07.01.2020 – Grey zone
One of the many beautiful things about the variety of life surrounding the island of Madeira is the fact that all the different organisms that can be encountered here nurture a different relationship to the archipelago’s waters. In the last…
06.01.2020 – The brainy bunch
All cetaceans are magnificent animals but two species have fascinated local scientists for some time because of their frequent visit to Madeira’s waters; the Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) and the Short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus). Today we witnessed both species…
12.12.2019 – Queens
Our traditional boat faced rather gusty conditions as we cruised westward three nautical miles off the coast of Paul do Mar. Here, at the edge of a vast underwater plateau, we often encounter small groups of dolphins feeding on schooling…
11.12.2019 – Striking gold
Our zodiac had an absolutely spectacular trip out on the Atlantic Ocean today and…I’m not sure whether it was so incredible because my camera eventually ran out of battery (thank you universe…) or whether it was because of the two…
10.12.2019 – Sundowner
Several cameras were directed at the waters in front of Calheta today as our traditional boat cruised through the Atlantic this evening. The overcast sky and strong glare at the surface didn’t stop our amazing spotter from locating no less…
19.11.19 – A journey in good company
I had the absolute pleasure of welcoming 12 lovely guests on board our Ribeira Brava this mornings tour and, despite a questionable weather forecast for the afternoon, the sun was shining on a rather smooth ocean for the entire duration…
11.11.2019 – Middle sea
After spending a week on my little Mediterranean home island, Malta, I returned to Madeira with eagerness and excitement to encounter cetaceans once again out on the vast Atlantic Ocean. When you spend even a small amount of time on…
02.11.2019 – Nomen est omen
On my way to harbor in the morning, the sea looked promising, while going out of the harbor, there were small white caps, but still in the “green area”. But the wind built up quickly, so this tour was a…
30.10.2019 – Sundance
The sun scorched down on Calheta today, warming the surface waters of the Atlantic in front of our marina. It almost felt like a midsummers day here in the southwest but the high swell was a stark reminder that it…