|04052021| Big blues!

|ENG|

WOW!

Today we had such a fantastic morning expedition!

Early in the morning, the sun was shining and there was almost no wind. The sea was perfect for our expedition!

After receiving all Naturalists, the spotter contacted us with the information that we had baleen whales.

Not long after we started our expedition we saw a group of common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) together with an enormous quantity of cory's shearwater (Calonectris borealis). Both of them were feeding in association, with the dolphins quite dispersed and spending more time underwater.

Check our common dolphins fact sheet to know more about this species.

BLOW!

We saw a big blow followed by a greyish back dorsal.

For the size of the blow, we could almost confirm which species we were seeing. It was a blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus)! The blow of the blue whale can reach up to 12 meters high!

To know more about this species check our blue whale fact sheet.

We had at least 5 blue whales in the area and we got to see 2 at a closer distance.

And one of them showed its fluke (uncommon behaviour)!

When we were waiting for a blue whale to come to the surface we saw another baleen whale species. It was a fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus)!

We got to see this animal twice, traveling to the southwest.

A second fin whale appeared in the area (this one had a smaller size) just before we leave.

On our way back to Horta, our marine researcher Sara gave information on the biology of the Portuguese man'o'war (Physalia physalis) and the loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta), with animals in situ.

Now it was time to see all the photos taken during our expedition!

Thank you for joining Naturalist research team! Share the photos from our expedition.

See you soon!

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|PT|

WOW!

Hoje tivemos uma expedição fantástica!

O dia começou com o sol a brilhar e não havia quase vento. O mar estava perfeito para a nossa expedição.

Após termos recebido todos os Naturalistas, o vigia informa que estava a ver baleias de barbas.

Começámos a nossa expedição com o avistamento de um grupo de golfinhos comuns (Delphinus delphis) que estavam em alimentação em associação com vários cagarros (Calonectris borealis). Para saber mais sobre esta espécie ou outras carregue neste link.