Black Flukes

This morning started off thundery and very calm by Boa Vista standards (sea state 3, 1-2m swell). During a heavy shower we collected one biopsy with a nice single approach. This is our third biopsy sample. The mother and calf pair were both sporting lovely all-black flukes. During our afternoon trip we tracked 2 adult whales in challenging conditions but lost them after about 15 minutes with no biopsy attempts or fluke images obtained. These were likely to be roving males which often form alliances. We called it a day when our fuel was running low and Darren spotted a massive humpback breaching on the horizon, pec-slapping and fluking... we had to leave it be.

Whale-watchers on board Tartaruga do Mar (lost beneath the swell)

Pedrin went on an angling boat about 60 miles southwest of Sal Rei towards a large bank that sits on the continuous shelf between the islands of Boa Vista and Maio (to the south). This is thought to be an important offshore area for breeding humpbacks. Unfortunately, there were no cetacean sightings but lots of white-faced storm petrels.

We are planning to spend some days on the south coast of the island in the coming days. We rarely get to spend time down there as it is a long spin from our base in Sal Rei, but we have extra fuel tanks and will moor the boat down there for a few days and travel by road. This will allow us to search less plied waters for whales. According to locals, there are lots of whales down south this year.

This is how we get the RIB from it's mooring!

Species list: loggerhead turtle, green turtle, osprey (2), Cape Verde shearwater (c.10), flying fish (>10), common kestrel (1), brown-necked raven (1).