The azores archipelago is one of the prime whale and dolphin hotspots in the world and around 30% of the worlds known cetacean species have been recorded there. A week long whale watching holiday in the azores islands. Pdf the sperm whale, physeter macrocephalus, was the most captured great. An absolute must if visiting the lovely horta in the azores. Every year there are hundreds and thousands of whales and. Whale watching in the azores special interestportugal. With a donation or an adoption of a whale you can help to make the world a. Join an exciting marine wildlife tour with biologists and naturalist guides, to see and. Tourist frequentation is still small, the quantity and. At these sites, it is all about diving in the blue with virtually guaranteed. Marinas all along the algarve coastline offer whale and dolphin watching trips, however, its the waters around portugals islands where the countrys best whale watching awaits. Moving towards sustainable practices for whale watching in azores. The only things you really wont be able to do are lie on a beach however you can go to.
Whale watching in the azores futurismo is one of the most experienced whale watching companies in the azores, offering yearround responsible whale and dolphin watching tours and swimming with. Watch for whales and dolphins on this special holiday in the azores. The azores are currently one of the worlds largest whale sanctuaries. This whale watching activity provides the opportunity to watch up to twenty cetacean species that can be found in the ocean waters of the azores islands. Article pdf available in journal of the marine biological association of the uk 8905.
July to october is high season in the azores, due to the manta seasons that operate from. If you book a whale and dolphin watching holiday to the main azorean island of sao miguel with archipelago choice the chances are that your trips will start either from the marina in ponta. The azores are located about 850 miles 1,360 km off the coast of portugal. Whale watching in the azores is unique and offers some of the best sightings in the world as we are assisted by the vigia, local land based lookouts. Includes information about the area and the cetaceans living there, research project details, environmental policy, newsletter, and. The atlantic ocean, the archipelago of the azores, is on a migration route for many species of cetaceans, making it one of the best places in the world for whale and dolphin watching activity. Whale watching in the azores islands is unquestionably one of the most exciting and unforgettable adventures. Blue whales are sighted every year around the azores islands, which apparently provide an important seasonal foraging area. Their geographic location in the atlantic between europe and the americas puts the azores in the.
With lots of videos straight from the rubber dinghy. The portuguese islands of the azores sit conveniently in the middle of the midatlantic feeding grounds of the worlds largest animal. The azores are widely recognized as one of the top destinations in the world for whale spotting. Fin whales, humpback whales, sperm whales and dolphins are just some of the wonderful cetaceans that youll be watching out. We are based in lajes do pico, recognised as one of the top 10 best spots for whale watching in the world. In july 2008, i left my tenyear banking career to travel around the world. Diving with whale sharks santa maria island diving with the worlds largest fish in clear waters is undoubtedly one of the best diving experiences of the azores. We use small and efficient boats with limited size groups in order to limit the impact on. Miguel island, azores whale watching activity provides the opportunity to watch up to twenty cetacean species that can be found in the ocean waters of the azores islands. Tours operate from march to october and are of either 5, 7 or 9 nights duration. Azores whale watching and dolphins is known to be among the best in the world.
Is midnovember a time when whale watching is common or outofseason. Among resident and migrant species, common or rare, more than 20 different types of cetaceans can be spotted in the azores. Freed from the pressure of the whalers, taking benefits of the clean waters and abundant food, the. The azores, in the middle of the atlantic ocean, is an archipelago of nine islands showing nature in its purest state, and one of the largest whale sanctuaries in the world. Multiscale habitat preference analyses for azorean blue whales. Information collected is used to understand more about the lives of these amazing animals. See more ideas about azores, whale watching and whale.
It is the marine life to be found at these sites that turns the azores from a very good diving destination into a worldclass one. Azores best tips for whale watching on azores whaletrips. Yachtbased whale and dolphin research holidays to the azores archipelago. Richard sears has been one of the most important blue whale researchers in the world for more than forty years. Swimming with dolphins imagine yourself immersed in the deep blue sea with the dolphins kayaking and sup this is definitely the. The azores changed from hunting whales, to whale watching and researching the cetaceans.
We are a team of researchers and field biologists univ. The best time to visit the azores is quite simply whenever you get the chance. A unique archipelago of nine portuguese islands, the azores are truly a unique and beautiful destination. The azores are europes leading whale watching destination, home to sperm and pilot whales, beaked whales and false killer whales, and bottlenose, common and northatlantic spotted dolphins. The whaleplanner january a whale watching infographic. As well as tourists and scientists, the whales and other sealife have. Whens the best time to go whale watching in the azores. Vacation whale watching activities in portugal expedia. Influenced by the gulf stream, the islands enjoy a mild, breezy climate, with. Our small group, blue whale tour in the azores is an.
Remember that in the azores the time of whale watching is dictated not by migratory rhythms of cetaceans but by atmospheric conditions. By then whale watching was randomly done when by luck a group of cetaceans crossed the course of those trips and the passengers had the chance to observe them. Dolphin and whale watching in the azores dolphin and. I spent ten great days in the azores islands in late november. Whalewatching in the azores which whales to see and when. The azores are great in november as there are far fewer crowds and flights and places to stay are cheaper. The azores are north of the canary islands and madeira, on roughly the same latitude as lisbon and washington dc. Whale watching, swim with dolphins and scuba diving on the island of pico azores portugal. Whale watching in the azores, check our programs futurismo. Whale and dolphin watching holidays in azores vacations. The baleen whale season from march to june sees one of the largest. Best time to visit the azores responsible vacation. Sperm whale captures and oil production in the azores between 1948 and 1985. Whale watching is one of the main attractions for tourists to visit the azores, some explicitly coming just for the whales.
Late july and august are peak season in the azores, so prices rise and tourist numbers. Dive with whale sharks in azores snorkeling holidays. When is the best time to see whales and dolphins in the azores. Whale watching in august azores message board tripadvisor. There are 80 species of whales and dolphins on the planet and 2425 of them have been sighted off the coast. Nine green dots in the vastness of the atlantic ocean, the azores are currently considered one of the best places for whalewatching in the world. Sperm whale the azores are known, in particular, because of its constant presence of sperm whales. Pdf past and recent sperm whales sightings in the azores based.
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