Sei Whales spotted near to Vila Franca!

The sun was shining and our boat headed out into the blue ocean. The blue ocean was calm and we were able to see very far. On our way to the whales we observed luckily a group of Common Dolphins!

As they were socializing, they surrounded our boat and came very close. It was possible to see their beautiful hourglass stripes and their streamlined body. They turned their body and showed their light gray and white belly. When they were surfacing, the falcate fin was possible to observe.

Common dolphin / Golfinho comum

There was also a little loggerhead turtle near to the dolphins! Did you know, that it takes for a turtle a lot of years to come here to the Azores? The start of their journey is in Mexico or Florida. There they are entering the ocean for the first time and using the Golf stream to come to these islands.

Afterwards we were able to observe a Sei whale feeding. Because the ocean was so calm, we were able to see the whole slim and streamlined body swimming near to the surface. When it came up to breath, the typical blow was rising into the air. They tend to grow up to 12 to 21 meters of length. As it is a baleen whale, the females are getting bigger than the males.