A year of whale watching

An entire year of whale watching in the Azores will reward you with a huge number of sightings and a wide variety of different species. Every year is different, every day is different and every encounter is different. There are often surprises and each year will give you different highlights to look back on. For example in 2017, Bryde's whales made an appearance after a 4-year absence - one of them with a calf! The water may have been warmer or more productive than usual, as Atlantic spotted dolphins stayed longer than usual (right through to mid-December) and in large groups with calves. Cory's shearwaters also stayed longer than usual, as did sei whales that stuck around into December when they are usually seen from Spring to early Summer. I encountered 17 whale and dolphin species in 2017

Atlantic spotted dolphin (Stenella frontalis) and adult and juvenile pair

Cory's shearwater (Calonectris diomedea borealis)

Great shearwater (Puffinus gravis) catching a meal

Sei whale (Baleanoptera borealis)