We set off again the next morning for whale watching, and were warned seas were rough but we went out. It was an experience! The boat was small, the ride was rough, and we got very wet, but we had the wonderful opportunity to see humpback and sei whales, as well as some common dolphins.
The Azores are on the mid-Atlantic Ridge, with sheer drop-offs to deep water close to shore, and in the spring, baleen whales migrate through the area, adding to the already rich resident populations of whales and dolphins. It’s one of the great places to see whales and dolphins, and that was a big part of what drew us to this trip to the Azores.
Espaço Talassa was the first company to open for whale watching in the Azores in 1989 shortly after the end of whaling, which had been an important way of life and source of income to the Azores. They redeployed the same whale watchers and towers that had assisted whalers in locating and tracking the whales. The “technology remains much the same”… binoculars on a tri-pod, looking for the blow of the whales, which can be spotted as far as 30km away.
Very small boats…
This aqua blue water is what we were tracking to see the humpback whale.
And for a little perspective on how rough the sea was at some points, and how difficult it was to get a clear shot…
And a little perspective on how massive Pico Mountain is…