A damp & drizzly morning with low lying cloud making it difficult for the spotters to see anything. It looks brighter over towards Pico, which is handy as the boat has a party of 11 passengers to pick up there.
The spotters on Pico have sightings of whales to the North, so we set off, and after collecting the passengers at Madalena we go looking for them. We find Sperm Whales, as well as Common and Bottlenose dolphins (along with a few showers along the way).
//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js
After eating my lunch, and exploring a different bit of Horta, I get a coke from Peter’s and sit outside watching them lift a yacht out of the harbour before returning for this afternoon’s excursion. Norberto doesn’t have a trip this afternoon, so we are booked in with Azores Experiences, piloted by Pedro, who Lisa had introduced me to on Sunday evening. Clouds around the island are still making things tricky for the spotters, but Pedro has a hydrophone, and hopes this, along with the knowledge of where the whales this morning seemed to be heading will enable us to find them. Everyone is in agreement so off we set.
We encounter Common Dolphin first, but while we are watching them he hears from another boat that they know roughly where the Sperm Whales are, so we head off to join them, managing to get there in time to see them dive. From the shape of the flukes Marta (the guide) and Lisa are in agreement that it is one of the whales we saw this morning.
We spend the afternoon interspersed between the Whales and Common, Striped and Bottlenose Dolphin (and fewer showers than this morning).
We are back slightly earlier tonight, so Lisa decides she will pick me up at seven and try Peter’s again. This time there is room (maybe because the weather in Horta has improved, so more people are outside?) and we are able to get a seat.
Tim Ellis' Blog 
Leave a comment