March ends, April begins and with each passing day the sun grows more strong. Plankton has begun to bloom and life in the ocean explodes into activity. This is the season of the giants and with growing anticipation we have been waiting for the great whales to pass these isles. On 30th our patience was rewarded. During the morning when our boat was already at sea watching Sperm whales our vigias voice crackled excitedly over the radio. He had seen tall blows. This could mean only one thing – baleen whales.
Guided by the vigia we sped off in their direction. Once in the zone we soon caught sight of several blows and it was clear that more than one whale was present but what species? Initially the whales eluded us, surfacing only once or twice to catch a breath before submerging and disappearing from view again. However, soon enough each whale revealed itself. With quite prominent but swept back dorsal fins, broad backs and white under-jaws on their right sides these were Fin whales Balaenoptera physalus (see photos below). Four were present and they appeared to be travelling in two pairs. For awhile we follow one of them. Then surfacing unexpectedly on our starboard side we see a fifth smaller whale. It was pale grey, mottled and had a tiny dorsal fin. It could be only one thing – a young Blue whale Balaenoptera musculus.
As the Fin whale surfaces to breathe we get good views of its white under-jaw (on its right side), the twin blowhole and its broad back.
A great start but it is not only a season for giants. Now is also when we see many of the resident dolphins give birth and breed. Recent trips have encountered newborn Bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus, Common dolphins Delphinus delphis and Risso´s dolphins Grampus griseus. Although new born calves of these species can be seen virtually at any time of year, here we see a clear peak in births at this time.
A mother Risso's dolphin passes close to shore, on the south side of Pico. The tiny dorsal fin of her newborn calf is clearly visible against her own tall, falcate and heavily scarred fin.
Recently the Common and Bottlenose Dolphins have been especially plentiful, particularly inquisitive and exuberant. They have been showing much social and sexual behaviour as increasing numbers of new calves appear.
Here Common and Bottlenose dolphins make close passes of our boat.
If that was not enough yesterday morning we had 'the icing on the cake'- Orcas Orcinus orca. Two, perhaps three mother and calf pairs lingered close to shore. Again on the south coast of Pico. Orcas are rarely seen here and there presence sent a buzz around the whale watching community. Three females were definitely seen but we were only sure of seeing two calves.
The unmistakeable profile of an Orca. Two perhaps three mother calf pairs were present. One female repeatedly tail slapped the water whenever she surfaced to breathe (see below).
Oddly too, we have been seeing Loggerhead turtles Caretta caretta during virtually every trip. This is unusual. Perhaps the ocean currents have been kind to us and have concentrated their numbers around the archipelago.
A loggerhead turtle feasts on a Portuguese-man-o-war. Sightings of these sea turtles have been common place.
Despite this bonanza of activity, there are some who remain unmoved. The local Cagarro or Cory´s shearwater Calonectris diomedea, pictured below, slept on unfazed by the Orcas, least of all by our passing boat. I guess as an experienced ocean wanderer it has seen all this before and no doubt much more besides.
Unfazed by all the commotion this Cory's shearwater sleeps on.